With two key players returning to action this weekend, the Penn's women squash team is confident heading into its weekend matches in Hartford, Conn. and Williamstown, Mass.
That's right -- two states, one day.
The Quakers (2-3, 0-3 Ivy League) will travel to Hartford to face Trinity Saturday, then head to Massachusetts for the Williams Invitational later in the evening. At the two-day invitational Penn will take on a field of formidable competitors, including Bates, Amherst and Cornell.
"I just inherited this schedule," first-year coach Jim Martel said.
Despite their subpar Ivy record, the Quakers have reason for confidence, mostly stemming from the return of two top performers from last season -- sophomore Dafna Wegner and junior Runa Reta.
Wagner has missed the season to date due to injury, while Reta was studying abroad first semester in Australia.
"[Reta] helps us not only from a talent and experience standpoint but she's as good as anyone in the country," Martel said. "She's inspiring for the underclassmen and helps their confidence. She's a very good role model for them."
The importance of a good role model cannot be underestimated on a team that relies heavily on six freshmen, particularly No. 1 single Linda McNair.
"She'll take some pressure off of McNair and [freshman Rhondi] Gupta," Martel said.
"She's our number one player," senior co-captain Alex Black said. "She moves everyone down the ladder. She's very motivational [for the underclassmen]."
However, Reta is somewhat concerned that she will not be able to quickly revert to the form that allowed her to gain all-American honors her first two seasons at Penn.
"I'm still a bit rusty but the double practices have helped take a bit of it off," Reta said.
Reta might not be the only one working off rust, as the matches this weekend will be the first for the team in over a month since it dropped an 8-1 decision to Brown on Dec. 2.
"A combination of that [break] and getting the players back makes this like a whole new season for us," Black said.
