Two W.Track athletes earn All-East honors in ECACs.

As the Penn men's tennis team prepares for its ECAC opener this weekend, the Quakers aren't only gaining experience -- they're also collecting air mileage. After journeying to Europe together over the summer, the team boarded the plane once more, this time bound for South Carolina and the Clemson Invitational. And though the landscape may have changed, the Quakers' individual luck did not. In only his third weekend competing for the Red and Blue, transfer Frantisek Stejskal went undefeated at No. 2 singles. En route to his four wins, Stejskal did not drop a single set against the four other teams represented at the tournament -- Clemson, Furman, Georgia Tech and UNC-Charlotte. "Fanda [Stejskal] played great," co-captain Brett Meringoff said. "He played inspired, almost like he was possessed. I never saw him play so intense." While Stejskal was the only Quaker to go undefeated in the tournament, two other Penn newcomers also recorded noteworthy victories. Freshman Ryan Harwood continued his impressive performance this fall, finishing with a record of 3-1 at No. 3. Harwood dropped only his first match against a UNC-Charlotte opponent, quickly rebounding to win his last three, including a close 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 match against Georgia Tech's Tim Bibby. Opposing players are not the only ones learning about Harwood's ability -- the Quakers themselves are encouraged by what they have seen from the freshman. "Ryan played very well. Just from watching him play you wouldn't be able to tell that he's a freshman," sophomore Brian Barki said. "He's playing with a lot of experience and maturity." Another pleasant surprise for the Red and Blue was the play of Jared Corby, also a new addition to the tennis team. Corby, who last played competitive tennis in junior high school because he played football in high school, won a hard-fought victory against UNCC's Matt Wagoner, 7-6, 7-6. "Jared has an athlete's attitude, and hopefully, that will be contagious," Penn coach Gordie Ernst said. "I call him 'The Body' because he's ripped but I should start calling him 'The Virus' because his attitude is infectious." Corby's teammates echoed their coach's assessment of the former Penn football player. "Jared is making incredible progress for a guy who has limited previous match experience," Meringoff said. "He really showed a lot of poise in his match against UNC-Charlotte. "He's just an amazing athlete, which gives him an edge, and the rest is all mental." While the Quakers had some important singles-play breakthroughs at the Invitational, they also continued their quest to improve at doubles, one of their weaknesses last season. On the way to reaching that goal, Harwood and Meringoff teamed up at the No. 1 spot to beat UNC-Charlotte, 8-6, and Furman, 8-5. "The two of us are really coming along as a team," Harwood said. "We're getting to know each other's games better." So much better that the relatively novice duo -- who also teamed up for an impressive victory against a Princeton pair at the Penn State Invitational -- is already looking forward to eventually competing together at a higher level. "Ryan and I played good doubles throughout the weekend," Meringoff said. "We know we're on the same level as these nationally ranked teams, and we're going to shoot for a national ranking ourselves." After a long weekend -- and a long journey -- the Quakers returned to Penn having bonded, and brought back with them a better team chemistry. "This weekend was definitely the most comfortable and the most fun," Harwood said. "Spending time together, we're definitely coming together as a team." That cohesiveness comes just in time, too, as the Quakers face their first real test this weekend as they start their ECAC season at Princeton.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.