With the Albe Collins Ivy League Champion Trophy sitting on the front desk of the Levy Tennis Pavilion, the men's tennis team sought an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
Penn earned its first men's tennis Ivy title since 1971 by having a 6-1 record in league play, sharing first place with Brown. Penn had already beaten Brown twice this year. They crushed Brown 4-1 to win the ECAC championship and squeaked by the second time 4-3 in early April.
But the third time was the charm for the Bears, as Penn could not repeat its dominance of Brown and lost 4-3. The Quakers did not receive an at large bid to the field of 64.
Coming into the match Penn (18-5, 6-1 Ivy) was ranked No. 45 in the Fila collegiate tennis rankings. However, the loss dropped them in that poll to No. 52. Brown (19-9, 6-1) meanwhile moved up from No. 70 to No. 63.
"It is what it is, we're on the bubble, we're sitting there," coach Mark Riley said before the selection of the tournament field. "Losing this puts us in definite trouble. Had we finished the season at 45 we were probably in."
Penn did not get off to a good start in the match, losing the doubles point. Only Brandon O'Gara and Justin Fox were able to win a set, 8-4. Jason Pinsky and Joseph Lok lost first doubles 8-3 and Mikhail Bekker and Jonathan Boym lost second doubles 8-6.
With both first and third doubles decided, Bekker and Boym battled for the doubles point. At one point they were up 5-4 but that lead soon became a 7-5 advantage for Brown. Brown sealed the match and the doubles point with a little drop shot over the net.
"We almost broke the guys when it was love-forty and we lost the point," Bekker said. "If we won the doubles point it would have been different."
However, this was not unfamiliar territory for the Quakers. In their last match against the Bears they had also lost the doubles point but rallied to win four of the six singles matches.
Penn demolished its opponents in the first three slots, each winning in two sets. Pinsky took first singles 6-1, 6-1, Bekker romped in second singles 6-2, 6-2, and Boym took third singles 6-3, 6-1.
The Quakers had won in all three of these spots against the same opponents in their last match. The difference maker was Joseph Lok who beat Phil Charm in the four slot last time. This match Lok was slotted against Saurabh Kohli in the four slot and lost 6-3, 6-1.
O'Gara was eked out in the six slot 6-4, 6-4. The match came down to fifth singles between freshman Justin Fox and Brown senior Luke Tedaldi. Fox lost the first set on a tiebreaker 7-6(5). He had the opportunity to win the tiebreaker but could not seal the deal.
In the second set Fox found himself down 5-4 and having to break Tedaldi to keep his match and Penn's chances alive. The two battled for tenth point reaching deuce multiple times. On the last rally Fox hit a forehand into the net to end the match.
"We had a situation in a place where he had to win and it didn't work out," Riley said. "Perhaps the bitter taste of this will make us better next year."
