The Penn men's tennis team finished its fall season on a high note, yet the success of some Quakers caused the downfall of others, as the Red and Blue defended their home courts at the Penn Classic this weekend.
Many Penn players were forced into the difficult position of battling a teammate during the tournament, which is based solely on individual performance. Junior co-captain Craig Rubin acknowledged the mixed emotions present while competing against a friend, but believed that during the matches everyone was competitive and afterward was respectful.
"It's difficult, it's a bittersweet feeling... we're a close bunch of guys," Rubin said. "But if two Penn guys play each other, guaranteed, a Penn guy goes to the next round."
The Quakers sent five singles players to the semifinals and a doubles team to the finals in a tournament that featured "A" and "B" singles flights, along with one doubles draw.
Sophomore Jimmy Fairbanks captured the title in the "B" flight by defeating Martin Moore of Columbia in the final, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. However, Fairbanks had to first take down teammate Ed Silver in the semifinals, 7-5, 6-3.
Following a disappointing fall, Rubin was able to power his way to the semifinals of the "A" flight along with freshman sensation Mikhail Bekker -- both then failed to advance any further.
"I've been working on being a little more aggressive and I think that paid dividends in those matches," Rubin said. "I was very focused, my fall up to this point has been mediocre at best, but at the same time I didn't put too much pressure on myself."
Like many on the team, Rubin was able to put together a solid final weekend after facing varying degrees of success throughout the fall.
"Overall, [the] guys played consistently well," coach Mark Riley said.
Consistency, or a lack thereof, has been a major problem for the Quakers. They finished tied for fifth in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships in early October by topping Ivy League rivals Princeton and Dartmouth. However, outside of their play in New York, the Quakers had little to be pleased with until this weekend.
"We're at a place we can improve now and we have to take that through the offseason and try to improve before our first match in February," Riley said.
"The reality is, as strong as the Ivy League is in tennis, we have to get better. Every guy on the team has to bring more to practice and that in turn will bring more to the matches."
The most surprising part of the tournament was the impressive play of the Quakers in the "B" flight with Fairbanks, Silver and Aubry Wand all making the semifinals. Joseph Mirabile and Jeremy Steglitz also advanced to the quarterfinals before being knocked out by Silver and Fairbanks, respectively.
For many of the Quakers in the "B" flight, this was their first action of the fall because they are not part of the regular lineup. However, they showcased the depth and youth of the Red and Blue and caught the eye of Riley.
"They competed extremely hard," Riley said. "The guys who aren't playing are trying to work their way into the lineup and not just sitting around and being complacent."
Fairbanks is a prime example of this -- bringing a solid attitude and tenacity to the court all fall. His improved game will warrant an opportunity to compete in the singles lineup during the spring.
"He just comes to practice every day and works hard and he's always questioning how he can get better," Riley said.
Bekker and junior co-captain David Lynn were dominant in the doubles draw until they dropped the final to Maryland's Ian Bliss and Scott Peters, 8-6.
The weekend displayed many areas of Penn's game that necessitate improvement, but also provided some stability after a roller coaster fall.
"With the win over Princeton, it gives these guys some confidence that this is the best team they have had since the juniors have come in," Riley said. "The confidence should be pretty high and if it's not where it needs to be, I'll make sure it gets there."
