Bottom of M. Tennis' lineup shines

The Penn men's tennis team took on a pair of local programs Wednesday at Levy Tennis Pavilion and came up with two easy shut outs. The Quakers blanked both Haverford and Swarthmore, 7-0, in matches designed not only to keep the team fresh but also to give the bottom of the Penn line-up some playing time. Against the Fords, the Quakers did not drop a set. Penn co-captain senior Rob Pringle, returning after some time off due to a foot injury, cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 1 singles, while junior Brian Barki added a 6-0, 6-0 shutout at the No. 2 singles position. Juniors Kevin Strouse and Jared Corby also recorded easy victories for the Red and Blue against Haverford. Meanwhile, Penn freshmen John Boswell and Allan Haldeman both picked up solid victories in their collegiate debuts. Boswell dropped only one game en route to a 6-1, 6-0 victory, while Haldeman had more of a struggle before downing his opponent, 6-4, 7-5. "Winning my first singles match was a big confidence booster," Haldeman said. The Quakers had no trouble disposing of the Garnets either. Penn senior co-captain Eric Sobotka filled at the No.1 singles position and defeated Swarthmore's Pete Schilla, 6-3, 6-0. The Quakers' No. 2 through No. 4 singles players also did not drop a set in their matches. However, the Garnets proved to be a bit tougher at the bottom of the line-up. Corby and Haldeman had to go to tie-breakers after splitting sets, according to the shortened format. But the Quakers prevailed in both matches to earn a singles sweep. Penn's lone loss of the day came at No. 3 doubles, where Boswell and Haldeman were defeated 8-3 by Swarthmore's Justin Singer and Frank Visciano. But the wins from the No. 1 and No. 2 spots were enough to give the Quakers the doubles point and the shut-out victory. "Everyone went in there and took care of business like we wanted to and expected to," Strouse said. "We're all gearing up for the Ivy season, so matches like this keep us in shape." The Quakers will travel to Florida over spring break to take on a quartet of schools the Red and Blue have never played before -- Florida Gulf Coast, East Tennessee, Florida Southern and Northwood. In addition to keeping them sharp, the Quakers also expect the trip to help acclimate them to outdoor conditions in preparation for the rest of the season.

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