W. Tennis heartbroken in Old Nassau

The Penn women's tennis team lost four of six singles matches, ending in a 5-4 loss. The great Vince Lombardi once declared that "winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." This attitude paints a perfect picture of the Penn women's tennis team's mindset following a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to undefeated Ivy League rival Princeton Friday. Despite giving the Tigers a run for their proverbial money in New Jersey, not a complacent word was uttered by a player or coach regarding the defeat. On the contrary, in the wake of Friday's disappointment, the feeling among the Penn players is one of determination -- an attitude which Penn coach Michael Dowd believes will yield future success for the Quakers (9-6). "The most important thing we need to do right now is remember how hard we've worked," Dowd said. "The players have to stay in shape and remember the adrenaline they felt during the last match." At the same time, the Red and Blue squad cannot help but think of the heartache that accompanied Friday's loss in Old Nassau. Penn put itself on deadly ground early, losing four out of six singles matches. Although the Quakers won two out of three in doubles, the late surge was not enough to dethrone powerful Princeton. "When it comes down to matches like that, every point counts," Penn freshman Rina Borromeo said. "The match was very intense, and, in the end, Princeton was just a little tougher." Dowd echoed Borromeo's analysis. "We lost a game of inches," the Penn coach said. "One more point here or there, and we'd all be sitting here glowing in a victory. The most upsetting thing about the match was tasting victory and not getting it." Dowd also seemed frustrated by the fact that Princeton received unanticipated excellent performances in its top two singles positions, with the Tigers' Blair Farr defeating Penn No.1 Anastasia Pozdniakova. But even in the loss, Penn showed signs of an auspicious future, as sophomore Elana Gold kept the Quakers' heart beating. Gold not only defeated her singles opponent but also helped the Red and Blue earn a point against the Tigers in doubles, showing guts and stamina. Despite letting Friday's match get away, Gold and the Quakers are convinced that solid hustle will allow Penn to rise to the top next time the team travels to Princeton. "After we lost to Princeton, we said that we would not allow ourselves to feel that way again," Gold said. "The next time a match is close, we're going to remember that feeling and use it to inspire us to win." Lombardi would be proud.