M. Tennis splits matches

The Quakers rebounded with a win over Dartmouth after being shut out by Harvard Friday. The battleground was the Lott Tennis Courts. The soldiers -- Harvard, Dartmouth and Penn men's tennis. The results -- annihilation and vindication. This weekend the Quakers (8-11, 1-3 Ivy League) split battles in a weekend war, surrendering to Harvard and conquering Dartmouth. The afternoon action against Harvard ended with the Quakers falling to the mighty Crimson, 7-0, Friday. Harvard drew first blood, taking all three doubles from Penn and never looking back, sweeping all seven singles matchups. Not all of the Crimson players were last year's starters. Two of the team's most dominant gladiators are freshmen. Harvard frosh James Blake, at number one singles, is ranked seventh nationally and has been ranked as high as third. Blake won versus Penn senior Marc Fisicaro with a 7-5, 6-4 result. The other freshman, Scott Clark, neutralized Quaker junior David Schwartzman, 6-3, 6-4. "I was never in contention." Schwartzman said. "[Clark] played well. He was a ground stroker with a big forehand." After consistent play all season, Quakers junior Jordan Szekely suffered big losses to the Crimson -- falling in doubles with freshman partner Eric Sobotka and in singles as well. Szekely won his first set against Crimson junior Kunj Majmudar, 6-1, but Majmudar then smoked Szekely in two sets with scores of 6-2, 6-0. The Crimson is currently ranked No. 15 in the nation and has consistently stood atop the EITA Conference, going 9-0 in 1995 and 1996, and tied Dartmouth last year with an 8-1 conference record. Harvard shared the Ivy title in 1997 with the Big Green but was subsequently edged out for the EITA championship by Dartmouth after winning the previous two years. Harvard is currently undefeated in the EITA conference. In contrast to Harvard's dominance, the last time the Quakers won an EITA championship was 1971, and the Red and Blue's current EITA record is 2-4. Saturday versus the Big Green proved a different story, as Penn turned things around to win 5-2. It was a relatively easy victory, surprising because the Big Green posted an .889 winning percentage in the '97 EITA. In singles, two matches featuring Penn juniors were won in different styles. Urs Baertschi inflicted the first wound, going 6-3 versus Robert Simik. The second set went 7-6 (7-3 in the tiebreaker) in the Quakers' favor. Schwartzman, meanwhile, lost his first set 6-4 to Harlan Thompson. "He was a grinder," Schwartzman said, "and kept putting balls into play. I had to settle down and cut down on my impatience." The tactic worked for the Quakers junior. Schwartzman returned with a ferocity to beat Thompson, 6-3, 6-3. At first singles, senior Fisicaro was dismissed by Erich Holzer, 6-0, 6-2. Likewise at fourth, freshman Sobotka was taken out by Robert Chen 6-2, 6-2. It was unusual for the Penn freshman, who until that weekend was on a three singles win streak. In the doubles, the point was clinched with the Quakers taking all three matches, a turn from the norm as Penn has faced problems making the kill all season long. "It was really important that we won doubles," Sobotka said. "I think it will help our confidence going into our last three matches." The Sobotka/Szekely duo won versus the Big Green 8-5, Fisicaro and Baertschi won 8-4 at first doubles, while Rioux and Schwartzman's match was called at 5-5 after Dartmouth coach took out Avery Rueb because the the point was already decided. Rueb had a pulled stomach muscle that he iced during the match and did not play in singles. The conference contest ended on a humorous note with Szekely in a matchup versus Big Green junior Gabe Sauerhoff. Sauerhoff was one of only two players to be awarded first team EITA honors in both singles and doubles last year. During the juniors' match, Sauerhoff protested several calls and called Szekely a cheater. A raucous Dartmouth team stood behind Sauerhoff yelling and cheering. Szekely had the last laugh, however winning 6-3, 7-5.