Ivy League supremacy on the line for W. Tennis

The Penn women's tennis team is two wins away from repeating as Ivy league champs.

This scenario is more than likely, as the Quakers (5-0 Ivy) will face heavy underdogs -- Cornell (1-4) and Columbia (1-4) -- this weekend.

Though Cornell squeezed out a 4-3 win over Columbia earlier this season, each team has struggled throughout the season. Both the Big Red and the Lions are without team or individual national rankings.

In contrast, the No. 58 Quakers, who boast No. 20 Alice Pirsu, have a 14-match Ivy win streak. But the Quakers are aware that they are not invincible.

"We definitely have more talent," Penn sophomore Nicole Ptak said. "But you never know what could happen."

Columbia and Cornell's poor win-loss records may even work to their advantage. Neither team wants to be branded as the worst team in the Ivies and beating top-seed Penn translates into instant respect.

And while Penn will take on Cornell at Lott Courts, Columbia will be facing the Quakers at home. The Lions certainly don't want to fall on their home surface.

"Even if you are at the bottom, you're always going to want to beat the top team to show that you aren't as bad as people say you are," Ptak said.

Penn coach Michael Dowd said that being an underdog has its pros and cons.

"Cornell and Columbia will play loose and could stay close," Dowd said, "But if they are close I don't think that they will have the confidence to finish it."

Despite his beliefs, Dowd is approaching this weekend's matches with extreme caution. He is particularly worried playing a Cornell team that has foiled him in the past.

In 1997, Dowd was the rookie coach for a heavily favored Quakers team, which was upset by the Big Red.

"That was the worst loss of my career," Dowd said, "It makes me very nervous to play Cornell."

The Big Red team that will travel to Philadelphia on Friday also has a secret weapon -- coach Angela Rudert. She was Penn's assistant coach in 1998 and is well acquainted with the Quakers' strengths and weaknesses.

Another obstacle that the Quakers will have to face is the pressure of these must-win matches.

The Quakers hope that the intensity of play will work to their advantage.

"We've already played close matches against Harvard and Yale," Ptak said. "We're just excited and feeling the extra adrenaline."

Though Dowd has his guard up, he shares Ptak's optimism.

"I'm sure that Vegas has a line on us," Dowd said, "And I wouldn't bet against us tomorrow."

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