W. Tennis | Last chance for Penn to avoid last place

This is the last chance for the women's tennis team.

As the Quakers close their 2009 season with matches against Columbia and Cornell this weekend, the Quakers will try to avoid a winless Ivy League season, in sole senior and team captain Lauren Sadaka's last weekend wearing the red and blue.

"We're hoping to end the season on a high note since we've struggled a little bit up to this point," interim coach Sarah Schiffman said. "The team, more than anything, really wants to bring in a victory for Lauren. She's had such a great year."

Both teammates and fans will be able to honor Sadaka at the Quakers' Senior Day match today against the Lions at 2 p.m. on Lott Courts. But Sadaka's final career match will be tomorrow in Ithaca, N.Y., when the Quakers take on sixth-place Cornell (6-12, 2-3 Ivy).

Fortunately for the Quakers, today's matchup will give the Red and Blue (1-14, 0-5) a great chance to finally get a league win: Columbia is tied for seventh with Penn in the Ivy rankings with an identical 0-5 league mark (though they do have a better 4-13 overall record).

One spot where Penn has been consistent in Ivy play is at the No. 3 doubles spot. Sadaka and freshman Emily Wolf have yet to lose a doubles match against an Ancient Eight team.

"The two of us have really high intensity on every single point and great focus," Wolf said. "We coordinate and communicate well, and I think that's how we have our success."

Wolf also attributes the duo's perfect record to their "mixed" attack.

"She has a really consistent game, and I have a really big serve and aggressive game," Wolf said.

And Sadaka's consistency is rubbing off on Wolf.

"She's taught me how to play under pressure," Wolf said. "She's an amazing leader. We've had a tough year, and she's been positive throughout and really trying to keep us together."

The Quakers believe their chances of clinching wins in both matches this weekend are good.

"I think our team has come up on the short [end of the stick] in a couple matches," Schiffman said. "Hopefully we've learned from that and are able to turn it around."

As for Sadaka, she just can't believe the end is so near.

"I would just tell my team not to take for granted any match that they play," she said. "I'd love to pass on my spirit on the court and my determination. I really give it my all when I play, and I'd love to see the other players come back next year with that same passion."

"We're ready to lay it all out on the line - no regrets," Schiffman added. "Win or lose."

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