W. Golf | Lucky number seven

The Penn women's golf team was short one crucial player during its fall season, but now junior Meredith Kotowski is back from a semester abroad in Greece and is more than ready to get back into the action and test her swing outdoors this spring.

"I'm so excited. I haven't played for a while, but I've been working hard in the offseason," Kotowski said. "I actually went down myself and played in Florida, and I feel like my game hasn't deteriorated that much since being away."

Kotowski, who was consistently at the top of Penn's 2007-2008 lineup, finished seventh at last year's ECAC Championships and tied for 12th at the Ivy Championships. Her presence and prior experience will certainly be needed on Penn's unusually small roster.

"She's going to be a huge boost for the team," first-year coach Mark Anderson said. "She's got a very solid golf swing. It's very, very repeatable, so I expect her to be pretty consistent." Anderson expects her to play at the No. 2 or No. 3 spot.

Right now the top of Anderson's lineup consists of his three juniors - captain Lisette Vitter, Catherine Elliot and Kotowski - and first-year player Tiffany Cheung.

Vitter will play at No.1, and Anderson sees her experience as her primary strength.

"She's very comfortable in the tournament situation," Anderson said. "She can just go out and trust her game and let it happen because she's done it so often."

Following Vitter is junior classmate Elliot, whom Anderson said works hard on putting and ball striking.

While Kotowski was away in the fall season, Chueng had the opportunity to shine at the No. 3 spot.

"She's still learning a lot. As a freshman, she's playing courses she's never played before," Kotowski said, "but she's very, very focused, and she's very committed to working on her game."

However, spring break will be the ultimate factor in determining the lineup for the team's first tournament March 21-22, the First Market Bank Intercollegiate Tournament in Williamsburg, Va.

Penn has been putting in long practice sessions at indoor facilities on campus since Feb. 1.

"You want to try and stay loose and keep your golf muscles warmed out, so that when you get out there it's not going to be a shock for your system," Anderson said.

The indoor facility consists of a golf simulator, which takes pictures of golfers' swing paths and calculates the balls' flight distances and direction. There is also a short-game area, which has been extremely helpful in honing the women's skills.

The Quakers have also met with Penn's sports psychologist, Joel Fish, to help strengthen their mental game.

"In golf it's 80 percent mental," Kotowski said. "Going from class to a practice round is tough, but it's about going out there, even when you're not having your best day, and still putting up a good number for your team."

This season, Kotowski sees a greater focus and seriousness on her squad that she hasn't seen in the past. She believes the new attitude will help the Quakers reach their goal of "consistency" in scoring and overall play.

Anderson certainly invokes consistency and repetition in his practices, according to Kotowiski. The coach, who describes his team as "fun" and "classy," believes that the Quakers have great potential to improve their current No. 5 ranking in the Ivies.

"I'm very proud of the way they handle themselves at events on the golf course and off the golf course," Anderson said. "They're also very committed. They truly believe we can move up in the league, and they're all willing to do whatever they have to do."

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