With two matches over spring break against higher-ranked teams and two against lower-ranked teams, the Penn women's tennis team did exactly what it was supposed to do -- go 2-2.
Penn started off their spring break series with the two wins before losing their next two.
At UC Irvine, the Quakers dropped the doubles point to start off the match.
Freshman, Julia Koulbitskaya struggled at the No. 1 singles position, losing to Anna Bentzer, 6-0, 6-3. Bound and determined, the Red and Blue did not give up another singles point, sweeping the rest of the matches and beating the Anteaters, 5-2.
Penn improved to 5-2 for the season with an important win at Long Beach State on March 7.
The second half of this West-coast trip followed a much different pattern from the first. After two solid victories, the Quakers set out to see how they compared with some of the toughest tennis programs in the country.
The Quakers fought hard against No. 7 William & Mary at UNLV. At the No. 2 spot, the team of Michelle Mitchell and Raluca Ciochina took Penn's only doubles victory of the day, 8-2. Ciochina continued to dominate, winning the only singles point of the day against Alex de Guzman at No. 6.
Penn's final match of the series started off better than the rest. Sweeping the doubles point against UNLV, the Quakers headed confidently into the singles matches. But Mitchell was the only Quakers player able to capitalize on this confidence and win her match.
