A 6-1 loss at Princeton on Friday extended the Penn men's tennis team's slow start in Ivy League play.
The Quakers (9-7, 0-3) are still searching for their first Ivy League win after dropping their previous league matches against Columbia and Cornell.
Penn was without its top two singles players, senior Ryan Harwood and sophomore David Lynn, for the match. The pair did not play for personal reasons.
"Princeton was a tough match," senior co-captain Andy Kolker said. "We were without our top two players, but we didn't let that affect our confidence going into the match. As a whole, we competed very well and had chances to win on almost every court, but we just couldn't close it out as a team."
The Tigers (11-5, 2-0) won all but one match Friday as their doubles teams swept the three matches, and their singles won five out of the six matches.
In doubles play, Princeton's No. 41 pair of junior Tim Kofol and sophomore Josh Berman outplayed Penn's top team of junior Alex Fritz and sophomore Craig Rubin, 8-2.
In second-seeded doubles, Tigers junior Daniel Friedman and freshman Darius Craton topped Penn sophomores Justin Lavner and Todd Lecher, 8-3.
In the closest of the three doubles matches, Princeton's pair of senior Trevor Smith and sophomore David Gopstein outlasted Penn's duo of freshman Jimmy Fairbanks and sophomore Anthony Pu, 9-7.
Singles play told a similar story for the Quakers. Kolker was the only player to garner a victory as he topped Princeton freshman Hans Plukas, 6-3, 7-5, in fifth-seeded play.
"I just tried to play with a lot of intensity from the start of my match and was able to carry that through to the end," Kolker said. "I felt good out there and was happy with the way I competed."
Fritz assumed the first-seeded position in Harwood's absence. The Austrian junior dropped a hard-fought match to Smith in a third-set tiebreak, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (8).
"I have to give [Smith] a lot of credit because he played a great match," Fritz said. "He served well and I did not have any break points throughout the entire match."
Rubin moved up to second-seeded play in Lynn's place and lost in consecutive set tiebreaks to Burman, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5). In third singles, Princeton's Craton topped Lecher in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Pu dropped the fourth-seeded match to Friedman, 6-2, 6-0.
The sixth-seeded singles match was decided in a third-set super tiebreak -- Princeton had already locked up the match -- as the Tigers' freshman Andrew Lieu edged Lavner, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (8).
"It was my first Ivy League match, which was very exciting, but unfortunately it did not turn out the way I would have liked," Lavner said. "However, getting to play in pressure matches like this one is the most important thing for my game right now."
With only four more matches left on the schedule and an 0-3 start to their Ivy League campaign, the Quakers are hoping to make the most out of the remainder of the season.
"This team has a great group of guys all determined to give their best effort in practice and in matches," Lavner said. "Although we are going through a rough stretch, I am confident we can pull out of it and end this year on a positive note."
