After two losses, M. Tennis rebounds to top Moccasins

A spring break in Florida for the Penn men's tennis team began with a heartbreaking one-point loss and ended with a feel-good, one-point victory. Sandwiched in between was a 5-1 defeat at the hands of East Tennessee in a match that was shortened by rain. On the first Sunday of the break, the Quakers (5-5) lost a tough 5-4 contest to Florida Gulf Coast. In the deciding match, No. 5 singles player Rob Pringle dropped the third-set tiebreaker, 7-6, as the Eagles squeaked out the win. "We very easily could have won that first match," said sophomore Ryan Harwood, who topped Evan Pinther 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 at the No. 2 spot. No. 1 singles Fanda Stejskal also cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Kevin Gill, but it was not enough to propel the Quakers to victory. Harwood cited the suffocating heat, combined with lengthy matches as a possible reason for Penn's downfall. It was also the first time the Quakers had played on the outdoor courts in a while. Two days later, Penn dropped a 5-1 decision to a tough East Tennessee team, with the only Quakers victory coming from Harwood. Doubles action had to be canceled due to inclement weather. The next day, however, the Quakers bounced back to hold off Florida Southern, 5-4. On another rainy day, Penn's Nos. 1-3 singles set the tone, sweeping their Moccassins' counterparts. Other Quakers victories came from senior co-captain Eric Sobotka at No. 5 singles and the Bryan Barki/Rob Pringle team at No. 2 doubles. "It was a tough day to play, but we sustained a high level of intensity throughout the distractions," Harwood said. "We really pulled together as a team. It was definitely good to leave on that note."

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