The Penn women's squash match on Sunday came down to just two players.
Penn (3-1, 2-1 Ivy) turned a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 win at Brown's Pizzitola Sports Center dropping Brown's overall and Ivy records to 0-3.
The Quakers' win came a day after a tough 9-0 loss to top-ranked Yale (1-0, 1-0).
"The Brown girls seemed pretty focused and put up a really good fight," sophomore Paula Pearson said. Pearson, Penn's top-ranked player, clinched the final match to claim the victory for the Red and Blue.
Sophomore Annie Barrett and freshman Chloe Wynne, at the seventh and eighth positions respectively, established a strong Quakers presence on the scoreboard. Barrett won in three straight games, and Wynne earned her victory 3-1.
While junior Rhea Bhandare defeated the Bears' Phoebe Anderson at the number five position, 3-1, the Red and Blue dropped four other matches. Brown captured the second, fourth, sixth and ninth positions.
Facing a 4-3 deficit, the Quakers needed to win both the number one and number three spots.
In the number three position, freshman Lauralynn Drury, a Buffalo, N.Y., native, faced Brown sophomore Erin Andrews from Philadelphia. Drury captured the first, third, and fourth games, 9-7, 10-8 and 9-2, good for a 3-1 victory.
With the match tied at four, both teams' fans made their presence felt.
"Brown had a huge crowd out to support them, but we had our fair share, too," Pearson said.
With the crowds getting louder, the match rested on Pearson at the number one position, who faced Brown senior and All-American Lillian Rosenthal. After dropping the first game, 9-7, Pearson fought for three straight wins, 9-7, 10-8 and 9-3.
"I didn't expect our match against Brown to be determined by the final match," Pearson said. "It makes it that much more exciting though."
The Quakers' success can be attributed to focus and hard work.
"Brown was obviously a more even matchup," Pearson said. "We had to work hard for the win. There was definitely more pressure in these matches, so it took a little more focus on everyone's part."
On Saturday, the Red and Blue traveled to New Haven, Conn., to face the No. 1 Elis.
"We planned to play our best, with no expectations against Yale," Pearson said.
The experienced Elis earned a perfect victory, 9-0, capturing all 27 games.
Yale is "full of talent and above everyone else in the league," Pearson said. "Although they are a young team, they have a lot of experience."
The Quakers, currently ranked No. 5 in the nation, still are trying to improve their game against top rivals like Yale.
Penn hopes to "continue with the hard work and gradually move closer to the level of the higher ranked teams," Pearson said. "As well, [we want] to give the higher-ranked teams a reason to work a little harder to maintain their position."
PENN 5, Brown 4
1. Pearson (P) def. Rosenthal (B) 3-1
(7-9, 9-7, 10-8, 9-3)
2. Cerullo (B) def. Ahluwalia (P) 3-2
(9-7, 7-9, 9-5, 5-9, 9-5)
3. Drury (P) def. Andrews (B) 3-1
(9-7, 6-9, 10-8, 9-2)
4. Rahman (B) def. Russell (P) 3-0
(9-2, 9-4, 10-8)
5. Bhandare (P) def. Anderson (B) 3-1
(9-7, 0-9, 9-2, 9-4)
6. Fadaifard (B) def. Gupta (P) 3-1
(3-9, 9-4, 9-4, 9-5)
7. Barrett (P) def. Lew (B) 3-0
(9-6, 9-6, 9-3)
8. Wynne (P) def. Flygare (B) 3-1
(7-9, 9-4, 9-3, 9-6)
9. Neff (B) def. Gurda (P) 3-2
(6-9, 10-9, 9-5, 0-9, 9-4)
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