PHILADELPHIA – Hosting its first Ivy League match of the season, the University of Pennsylvania women's tennis team defeated No. 63 Harvard, 4-3 at the Hecht Tennis Center on Saturday. With the win, the Quakers improve to 2-2 in the Ivy League. Penn used a 7-5 third set win from standout freshman Marta Kowalska to seal the victory.

Penn started the day on the right foot, earning the doubles point and jumping out to a 1-0 lead. On Saturday however, it was the second and third pairs picking up the wins for the Quakers. Ria Vaidya and Marta Kowalska earned a 6-4 win to clinch the point after Luba Vazhenina and Lina Qostal worked out a 6-3 win. Kana Daniel and Sonya Latycheva did not finish their match, retiring at a 5-5 score.

Things got dicey for the Quakers during singles play when they fell behind 3-1. However, Penn would not be denied on Saturday as Lina Qostal won in two sets, 6-3 and 6-2, Kana Daniel breezed past her opponent 6-4 and 6-2, setting up Kowalska for the three-set match clinching win. Kowalska won the first set 6-4, but suffered a 6-2 loss in set two, leading to a dramatic 7-5 win in the third to clinch the match.

It doesn't get easier for the Red and Blue on Sunday as they welcome No. 52 Dartmouth to Hecht.

Results

Doubles:

Daniel/Latycheva vs. Xiong/Ringblom – 5-5 DNF

Vaidya/Kowalska def. Oosterhout/Lee – 6-4 Penn

Vazhenina/Qostal def. Jasper/Kallenberg – 6-3 Penn

Singles:

Daniel def. Lee – 6-4, 6-2 Penn

Kallenberg def. Latycheva – 6-4, 6-1 Harvard

Oosterhout def. Vaidya – 6-1, 6-2 Harvard

Qostal def. Ringblom – 6-3, 6-2 Penn

Kowalska def. Xiong – 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 Penn

He def. Vazhenina – 6-3, 6-0 Harvard