This weekend, Penn tennis, rowing, and golf will continue their seasons against Ivy League opponents. Here are three questions for the upcoming competitions.
How will men's and women's tennis bounce back from early Ivy losses?
This weekend, both Penn tennis teams will face Harvard on Saturday and Dartmouth on Sunday, with the men playing at home and the women in Cambridge, Mass. and Hanover, N.H. Each side is currently 0-1 in League play after losing to Princeton last Saturday. Coming into the doubleheader, both the Crimson and Big Green will present challenges for Penn.
“I think both matches will be equally challenging, considering we just beat both of them 4-3 at home in February," senior captain Kyle Mautner said. "Since it was so close, we know both of them will come out with a ton of intensity and looking for revenge. Also, it came down last time to a close three-set match to decide it, so we’re aware that we can't let up focus for any points."
On the women's side, one key singles matchup will feature freshman Yulia Bryzgalova and Harvard senior Erica Oosterhout in the No. 1 spot. Bryzgalova has had a successful spring season thus far, going 11-1 in singles competitions. Oosterhout is a household name in the League, earning first team All-Ivy honors the past two years.
For the men, Mautner will likely face Dartmouth's No. 1 singles player, junior Charlie Broom. Both players have numerous conferences accolades, with Mautner being first team All-Ivy three times and Broom earning the honor twice.
“This weekend is pivotal for us if we want a shot at winning the Ivy League title," Mautner said. "It was a rough start losing to Princeton away last weekend, so we're looking to maintain our undefeated streak at home now."
Is Penn women's rowing prepared for Ivy competition?
Penn women's rowing will race at the Ivy League Invitational in Princeton, N.J. this weekend. The team has competed in both the Murphy Cup and the Doc Hosea Invitational over the last two weekends, giving the squad the chance to race against schools like Drexel, Temple, North Carolina, and Navy. This weekend will serve as a barometer of where the team is in relation to its Ivy opponents.
Senior Alaina Hunt, who rows in the Second Varsity boat, stressed how the last two weekends have helped improve team chemistry.
“Between the last two regattas, there was a drastic shift in the way our boat’s chemistry changed in approaching our goals for this past weekend’s races," Hunt said. "We approached this weekend’s race with the simple goal of performing better than the previous race, and our boat used that motivation throughout our practices."
Reflecting on the previous two weekends has allowed the Quakers to focus on particular areas of improvement, and overall, the bar is high going into Ivy competition.
“To prepare for this weekend’s race against the other Ivy League teams, our boat needs to race the second half of the race as aggressively as the first half, and we need to stay composed and recover effectively in between the two race heats," Hunt said. "With a great race performance from this past weekend, our boat needs to maintain a good winning mentality as we get closer to Sunday’s Ivies race.”
How will men's golf perform with the Ivy Championships around the corner?
Penn men’s golf will travel to the Springdale Golf Club for the Princeton Invitational, a 54-hole competition. The Quakers will face off against several competitive teams, including six Ancient Eight opponents Thus, this weekend will likely be a good preview of the Ivy League Championships in two weeks.
“I think the preparation and work we have done over the last several weeks has been effective and helpful in determining where we currently stand as individual players and as a team," senior Josh Goldenberg said. "We practiced smart, which included utilizing our amazing outdoor chipping and pitching area and playing courses which simulate what we will see in the coming weeks, and identified areas which needed improvement."
Last season at the Princeton Invitational, the Quakers finished in second place, posting a team total of five-over-par, just three strokes more than first-place Yale.
The Red and Blue are looking for a similar performance this season as they enter the final stretch of the season.
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