Penn faces Ivy powerhouse

Just two years ago, the Penn women's swimming program entered the year season with a six-year, 42-win drought in Ivy League competition.

How quickly things have changed.

Tomorrow, the Quakers head to New Haven, Conn. with legitimate contentions of beating perennial Ancient Eight powerhouse Yale -- the Elis placed third at Ivy Championships last year.

Dartmouth will also compete as part of the tri-meet at Yale's Robert Kipheuth memorial pool, but the Big Green should not pose much of a threat against either Penn or the Elis.

"I really don't think that any of us are even thinking about Dartmouth," sophomore Rachel Zappalorti said. "We've really been focusing on Yale, and I know that they've definitely been focusing on us."

Heidi Kraus and Danielle Page anchor the Elis' distance freestyle events, while Susan Cooke should grab the 400 individual medley and provide a thrilling race against Penn's Jen Block in the 200 breaststroke.

But like the Quakers, Yale boasts depth throughout its lineup.

"We're not going to win this meet only because of our best people," Penn coach Mike Schnur said. "Our second woman in every event has to come through."

Yet, Yale's depth will not be its only weapon this weekend against Penn.

The Elis' Kepheuth Pool can hold up to 2,187 fans, and more importantly, the walls at each end of the pool are completely flat -- because there are no gutters, the butterflyers and breaststrokers will not be able to grab the wall during open-turns.

"I think [the pool] is going to be a pretty significant factor," Schnur said. "A lot of the meet will be determined by how we can adapt to conditions. Yale is a really difficult place to swim."

On Tuesday, the breaststrokers and butterflyers practiced at Hutchinson Gymnasium to get accustomed the "flat walls."

"It's something we're not used to," Block said. "There's nothing to grab on to, so it's hard to propel yourself into the wall and get out faster."

And if the change of walls were not enough, swimmers will also have to take an elevator up three levels in order to get to the warm-up pool -- it happens to be the largest suspended natatorium in the country.

Penn will also travel to Providence, R.I., to face last year's Ivy League runner-up Brown on Sunday, but Schnur plans to give swimmers the opportunity to compete in different events in the meet against the Bears -- Yale will be the main focus for this weekend.

"I think that we're going to have to get going early and go with that momentum," Penn junior Jessica Anders said. "The key is going to be in addition to winning events, we're going to need a lot of depth."

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