NEW YORK, N.Y. ? Playing just as hard in their final match of the 2007-08 season as they had in the first, many months ago, the Columbia women's tennis players nevertheless were no match for a powerful veteran Penn team.

With a possible tie for the Ivy League title on the line, the Quakers bore down throughout the match and won, 7-0, capturing all but one doubles contest from Columbia.

Head coach Ilene Weintraub was hardly discouraged, though. Even though her Lions had not won an Ivy League match, they played competitive tennis on many occasions, and that cheered the Lions' first-year coach.

“I'm very proud of the girls this season,” Weintraub said. “We didn't win the matches, but I told them after the Penn match, let's not focus on the losses.

“Instead, focus on your development this season. I think we showed we can be competitive. We can compete, and use that confidence toward next year.”

Several Columbia players stepped up their games in the closing weeks, and Weintraub was quick to note that.

She mentioned junior Nina Suda, who won her first set against Penn's top player, and her fellow captain, junior Linnae Goswami. They didn't win their doubles match, as they had against Princeton Friday, but both played well against Penn.

“Linnae played excellent tennis today,” the coach said.

She also praised the Lions' lone victorious doubles team, junior Lauren Shearer and first-year Stephanie Zilberman, who won at second doubles. Sophomore Carling Donovan turned in the gem of the singles competition for the Lions, losing in a third-set super tiebreaker.

“Carling played a great match,” the coach said. “She dictated the whole match against a really good player. Just a few points in the super tiebreaker cost her the match.”

The results:
<P>
<b>PENN 7, COLUMBIA 0
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Dick Savitt Tennis Center, New York, N.Y.
<P>
Doubles</b>
1. Yulia Rivelis-Julia Koulbitskaya, Penn, def. Nina Suda-Linnae
Goswami, 8-1
2. Stephanie Zilberman-Lauren Shearer, Columbia, def. Lauren
Sadaka-Maria Anisimova, 8-4
3. Charlotte Tansill-Michelle Mitchell, Penn, def. Carling
Donovan-Natalia Christenson, 8-4
Penn wins the doubles point.
<P>
<b>Singles</b>
1. Rivelis, Penn, def. Suda, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0
2. Anisimova, Penn, def. Zilberman, 6-2, 6-3
3. Tansill, Penn, def. Donovan, 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (11-10)
4. Mitchell, Penn, def. Shearer, 6-2, 6-4
5. Sadaka, Penn, def. Christenson, 6-2, 6-2
6. Vidya Dabir, Penn, def. Goswami, 6-0, 6-3
<P>
Records: Columbia 2-15, 0-7, Ivy League; Penn  12-11, 6-1 Ivy League
</P>