This weekend, the women’s squash team begins a season of hope at the Ivy scrimmages. Held on the courts of Ivy rival Princeton, the grueling schedule spans both tomorrow and Sunday, forcing players to compete in up to six matches. It is the first daunting test for the Red, a young team in the midst of reloading its talent.
“We’re definitely in a rebuilding process,” said men’s and women’s coach Scott Stoneburgh. “There are lots of young players who will continue to grow with the program.”
The youth movement is evident in the starting lineup, with sophomores and freshmen holding down most of the top spots. Most notably, freshman Cory Warfield will play in the No. 2 position this weekend, with sophomore Joanna Wolfson playing at No. 3. They and the other underclassmen will be expected to be major contributors, starting tomorrow.
Led by only two returning seniors, the Red is ranked fourth in the tournament and will face third-seeded Dartmouth in the first round. Cornell will look to avenge an 8-1 loss to the Big Green suffered in last season’s Howe Cup championships. If vengeance is theirs, the Red will face the winner of the Penn-Yale match.
“Hopefully, we can set a good tone for the season,” said senior Becca Brier-Rosenfield.
On Sunday, the individual matches will take place, grouping players of similar ability into the same bracket. This will be an endurance test for players from all schools, as the previous day’s efforts will take their toll.
“We’re just hoping to have good matches with everyone,” said Wolfson.
“The Ivy scrimmages will just be a weekend of getting acclimated with the other teams and all the players we will face in the upcoming season and at future championships,” said freshman Marisa Greenwald. “It is a time to show the other teams what we are made of, and to learn from their strengths to improve our own weaknesses.”
Archived article by Per Ostman