When faced with strong competition, a team can learn a lot from its losses.

That's how Penn State women's tennis coach Buffy Baker felt about her team's performance in both matches this weekend.

The Nittany Lions (1-3) lost 6-1 to Yale at New Haven, Conn., on Friday and lost again yesterday, 5-2, to a talented Wake Forest team.

Though the match marked the team's third straight loss, Baker said the Lions played much better than the team did in last weekend's 7-0 thrashing atPenn.

"I felt like we really turned a lot of things around this weekend," Baker said.

"A lot of good things can come from these losses."

Baker's optimism comes from several encouraging individual performances.

Yesterday, juniors Sarah Spence and Megan Marton won their first singles matches of the season.

Marton knocked off Wake Forest's Katie Martzolf 7-5, 6-1.

Junior Maaria Hussain continued to turn in solid performances as she defeated Yale's Reshmi Srinath in straught sets, 6-3, 7-5.

Hussain lost yesterday in a three-hour to Wake Forest's Ashlee Davis, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Sophomore Lindsay Downing lost to Yale's Rashmee Patil 6-4, 7-5 and Wake Forest's Aimee Smith 6-4, 6-4. Though she lost both of her matches this weekend, Downing's improved play pleased Baker.

"Lindsay was injured in the fall and she's made a big turnaround," Baker said.

Doubles play has hurt the Lions a lot in the past couple of matches.

Against Yale, senior Leigh Ann Merryman and junior Jessica McKeown provided Penn State's only doubles win in three matches.

Losing doubles put the team in a tough situation, going into singles behind and needing to win four matches.

"We just need to keep mixing things up until we find the right combinations," Baker said.

Baker said the last three matches have given the team a taste of the competition it will face in the future.

"I'd rather play strong teams like these ones and lose than play weaker competition," Baker said.