W. Tennis takes on the Tigers

The Penn women's tennis team started off the year with high expectations and impressive rankings.

But after suffering four losses in a row only a few weeks into the spring season, the Quakers were forced to reevaluate and refocus their game-plan.

It seems to have come just in time, as the Red and Blue kick off their Ivy League campaign this weekend against archrival Princeton.

"We're all really looking forward to the match," Penn freshman Michelle Yeh said. "Its our first Ivy match of the season against a pretty tough team. It's not like we have an easy team. We're all ready to take this seriously and we're all hoping to do well."

As the defending champions, the Quakers are expected to be in the hunt for the Ivy League crown. However, the road will not be easy with three Ancient Eight teams ranked nationally. Harvard is ranked 49th, Penn files in at No. 52 and Brown is at No. 68.

With this in mind, Penn cannot afford to drop any matches in their Ivy League season.

Luckily, the Quakers head into Saturday's matchup with restored confidence. The Red and Blue ended their four-game losing streak last Saturday with a decisive 5-2 victory over cross-town rival Temple.

"You need to get a win under your belt to feel a little more at ease," Penn sophomore captain Sanela Kunovac said after the Quaker's match against Temple. "Having the wind at your back before you play Princeton is really a big benefit."

The win over the Owls has given the Red and Blue the confidence that they need to defeat Princeton. The Quakers are also anxious to kick off the much-awaited Ancient Eight season.

"We're really excited and pretty confident," Yeh said. "It's definitely good to have some momentum. Hopefully, we can play just as well as we did against Temple."

The Quakers have been struggling to find a consistent starting lineup, with its two top players battling against plaguing injuries.

Penn sophomore Alice Pirsu was sidelined against the Owls due to a nagging elbow injury. Pirsu apparently took off the match in order to prepare for the more important meet of the week against Princeton.

"Our coach was giving her time to rest her elbow because the big match is against Princeton," Penn sophomore captain Sanela Kunovac said after the squad's match against Temple.

Kunovac herself has been less than 100 percent as of late. The second-year has been playing with painful, and often debilitating, knee injuries. Over spring break, Kunovac received cortizone shots to help ease the pain during her matches.

However, both athletes are expected to play tomorrow afternoon against the Tigers.

"I think we're all playing pretty well," Yeh said. "I think with the injuries we've been able to deal pretty well and play pretty well. We should be in pretty good shape."

So far this season, the Red and Blue have relied on the strong play of the freshman class, including Yeh, Shelah Chao, Kate Williams and Brandy Washington.

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