Joey Rhoads had what it took to end her team's frustration against Villanova, but even that wasn't enough. Villanova downed Penn 57-50 yesterday afternoon at the Palestra. "When you lose by such a close margin, you think about all the little things you could have done throughout the game," the senior tri-captain said.

One team looked like the experienced one Saturday night, and it wasn't the experienced one. While Villanova freshman Scottie Reynolds and sophomore reserve Shane Clark shone under pressure, the Quakers hardly played the role of the Big 5's most seasoned squad.

It was the meet they were looking forward to all semester, and both the Penn men's and women's swim teams lived up to expectations. The men's team bested four opponents to take the Kenyon Invitational title while the women took second at the championship format meet in Gambier, Ohio.

In only the second match of the season, the men and women's squash teams have proven that they belong among the best in the nation.

A Brown radio broadcast has reported that All-Ivy guard Keenan Jeppesen quit the team right before its win over Quinnipiac. In addition, Basketball-U.com said that he has also left the school. Over the summer, Jeppesen had applied for transfer admission to Penn, but was denied.

For the second year in a row, the Quakers are hoping to have short memories following a blowout loss to Delaware. Penn (2-2) will once again be trying to bounce back when it concludes its three-game homestand and continues its Big 5 schedule against Villanova (3-4) on Sunday.

It's only two weeks into the season, but the men's and women's squash teams already face the first of the perennially elite squash teams. Both the No. 6 men's and No. 4 women's teams head to New Haven, Conn. tomorrow to meet the Elis, whose men's and women's teams are ranked fourth and second, respectively.

There will be plenty of opportunities for the Penn wrestling team to shoot up the rankings this weekend, when the No. 15 Quakers (2-2) compete in the two-day Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The tournament has a field of 49 teams from throughout the country, consisting of Division I, II, NAIA and junior-college competition.

As much as we try to deny it, the 122nd Board could only be described as "a disaster!" (After all, it is an even-numbered board). Truly, we have been Blatsteined - or "jammed up the ass by three officials," if you will. As such, a certain former DPOSTM writer seems to have notified our regional supervisor that it's time we hand over the reins to the 1-2-3.

The Quakers' Big 5 opener against Villanova was your typical City Series matchup: loud, physical and close to the very end. And once again, the Wildcats came out on top with a 99-89 win at a packed Palestra. A huge factor in 'Nova's win was their flawless free-throw shooting -- a torrid 27-of-29, with the only two misses in the irrelevant final minute.

Senior Mike Nardi is Villanova's lone remnant from an outstanding backcourt that saw three guards jump to the NBA last June. Randy Foye was drafted seventh overall and is now on the Timberwolves, Kyle Lowry was drafted 24th by the Grizzlies, and Allan Ray is now playing for the Celtics.

The Big 5 landscape is changing, but the rivalry between Penn and Villanova is still alive and well.

The security guard said I had to move, so I moved. It was Dec. 4, 2004, my second Big 5 Classic, and after Penn beat La Salle in the opener, my ticket said I still had one more game to watch. CSC Event Staff said otherwise; I had to make room for the Villanova student section to watch the Wildcats play Temple.

Head coach Dave Micahnik of the men's fencing team was fixing a sabre at practice this week. As he used a wrench to curve the blade, he turned and said, "It gives balance." Balance is just the word to describe this year's team. The Quakers have a mix of good young talent and with a host of experienced upperclassmen.

This weekend the Penn men and women's swimming teams will see a break from their normal Ivy League or northeast corridor rivals when they compete in the Kenyon Invitational in Gambier, Ohio, today through Saturday.

These Quakers are no strangers to overcoming adversity. After losing captain Katelyn Sherry to a serious foot injury, the 2005-2006 Penn fencers bounced back to finish with a 10-5 record and a ninth-place finish in the NCAA Championships. This season, the Quakers again find themselves with their backs against the wall.

What do the Three Musketeers and a mid-life semi-crisis have to do with each other? If you're asking Penn fencers Ron Berkowsky and Abby Emerson they provide the impetus to take up fencing. "When I was eight years old, I saw the movie The Three Musketeers and just fell in love with it," said Berkowsky, a junior foilist.