The Harvard women’s tennis team looks to fill some big shoes as it kicks off its Ivy League season this weekend against Cornell and Columbia.

The Crimson (2-11) has won the Ancient Eight title each of the past four years and has not dropped an Ivy match since 2002.

However, Harvard became the victim of a large turnover this year and returned only one player, captain and No. 3 singles player Preethi Mukundan, leaving the fate of the championship up in the air. Nevertheless, Mukundan believes that the non-Ivy matches have given her new team the means to succeed.

“The first part of the season really helped us to get used to competing,” Mukundan said. “Every single match we played we got better and better.”

The Crimson competed against many nationally ranked teams in its fall and spring schedule, which will give it an edge in league play.

“We had such tough competition,” freshman Lena Litvak, who has played at both No. 1 and No. 2 singles, said. “A lot of the [Ivy] schools are a lot closer in level to us.”

This league experience will undoubtedly test the newcomers, including three members of the club tennis team who were moved up to varsity mid-season. Joining the squad were senior Julie Forgie, junior Vilsa Curto and sophomore Rachel Gottlieb, who play No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6 singles, respectively.

“They add excitement and energy and motivation, because they’re so excited to be on the court with us,” sophomore Beier Ko said.

Ko, who is also new to the team this year, has switched off with Litvak at the first and second singles spots to compile a 16-4 record overall.

This positive outlook has helped the Harvard women grow close, which Litvak sees as one of her team’s greatest strengths.

“I don’t think any team is as much a family as us,” Litvak said. “Tennis could be seen as such an individual sport. I don’t feel that way about our team at all.”

Another asset for the Crimson could turn out to be the element of surprise.

“The fact that [other Ivy teams] aren’t expecting a lot from us, and that we have pulled together so well is definitely going to work to our advantage,” Mukundan said.

Harvard needs more than that edge to win; however it has a particular goal for its upcoming matches.

“The key to winning the Ivies is winning the doubles point,” Ko said. “As long as we keep winning the point, then I think we have a very good chance of winning both matches this weekend.”

The Crimson should be able to follow through on this goal, as its doubles play has been one of its greatest strengths all season. Out of the twelve matches Harvard has played so far, it has been able to earn seven doubles points, even against top-ranked teams. So far it has alleviated some of the early-match pressure.

The singles players will need to pull through this weekend as well, especially against Cornell, who is 8-2 so far this season. The Big Red owes many of its victories to its consistently solid No. 1 and No. 2 singles players, Elizabeth Googe and Kasia Prenenta, who are both 13-7. Columbia, who lost to Cornell 1-6 earlier this year, is 3-4 for the season.

Although the outcome of the quest for the Ivy League championship seems to be more uncertain this year, Mukundan and her teammates are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the title in Cambridge.

“I’m really excited to see how we can do,” Mukundan said. “It’s going to be a fight, we’re going to work hard, but we’re also going to have fun.”