W. Tennis kicks off spring at home this weekend

The Penn women's tennis team may face new obstacles this season, but the Quakers are well-equipped to tackle the impending challenges.

The tough matches that characterize this spring's schedule, coupled with the loss of former captain and senior Alice Pirsu, will provide the younger players with an opportunity to step up to the competition.

"It's an exciting time," Penn coach Mike Dowd said. "We have a lot of untested, younger players who have improved and worked hard, we're ready to see it pay off."

Pirsu, an All-American who claimed last year's title of Ivy League Women's Player of the Year, has retired from her Penn career due to an expired eligibility.

Though her presence on the court will be missed by all of her teammates, she remains an integral part of the team, as her charisma off the court boosts Red and Blue morale.

Inspiring the Quakers to uphold the legacy she prepares to leave behind, Pirsu embodies a sense of confidence that Dowd believes will "carry over into the rest of the team."

Fortunately, the Quakers will also benefit from the senior leadership of individuals such as Nikky Ptak, whose talent and support will serve as a model for her teammates.

Ptak prepares to enter her first season as a nationally-ranked collegiate player. The captain's success at the ITA Regionals last fall earned her a national ranking, and accordingly, Ptak will face other top-ranked athletes this season.

"Hopefully we can get some wins from the nationally ranked teams we'll be playing this season such as William and Mary, Texas and Virginia," Ptak said. "The better I do, the better the team does."

Dowd attributes much of the program's success over the past few years to the current senior class. Penn won its first Ivy League championship during the seniors' freshman year, and have since lost merely one Ivy League match to Harvard.

"This is the class that really put the program on the map, Dowd said. "The foursome has been tremendous -- probably the greatest senior class I've ever had."

The strength that these leaders embody has fostered the camaraderie of the team. "We all get along really well, which should really help us throughout the season," Ptak said.

This weekend, the women will open the spring season with their first and last doubleheader. As they gear up to first take on Penn State, and later Colgate, they enter their first challenge of the season with utmost confidence -- knowing it won't be an easy task.

Last year's victory against Penn State came down to the very last match, in which the Quakers ultimately secured a 4-3 victory.

"Penn State's probably our biggest rival outside the Ivy League," Dowd said. "We've always had close matches with them. We won a close match last year, and this year we expect to do the same."

Dowd is moderately concerned, however, about the implications of playing two matches in a day, especially after coming out of the offseason.

"While we've easily defeated Colgate in the past, they're definitely stronger than they were when we last beat them," he said. "I'm actually a little nervous about playing after Penn State; I'm hoping we'll have enough gas left in the tank to put up our best fight."

Nevertheless, the Quakers remain positive.

Penn State is "a solid team, but we can definitely beat them. We just have to play well at every position," Ptak said. "We have a solid lineup, so if everyone steps up, we should all play a great match."

Though the final lineup will not be in place until the beginning of the day, many of the underclassmen will most likely make their way into the starting lineup.

Since the official spring season began just over two weeks ago, Coach Dowd has been implementing a lot of match-play during practice in hopes that the girls will feel comfortable on Saturday, having already played many sets prior to the opening match.

The girls have been taking part in match-play on their own as well.

While the early winter months typically signify the offseason for the Quakers, the athletes have been capitalizing on the opportunity to train for the impending season.

Over winter break, Ptak and five of her teammates flew to South Beach, Fla., to train, while sophomore Sara Schiffman took part in the Macabee Games in Chile.

In addition to the difficult matches that the Red and Blue will see this spring, injuries are yet another setback that the women will have to overcome.

"We have a few nagging things here and there, but nothing that's putting anyone of commission," Dowd said. "I think we'll all be ready to play."

Though the future has yet to be determined for the Quakers, one thing remains certain: the athletes refuse to let any stumbling blocks hinder their goals.

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