March 2, 2007

Squash Eyes Championship

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After winning the B division at Nationals and completing the last team match of the season on a high note, the men’s and women’s squash teams will face another challenge this weekend at the NISRA Individual championships.

Senior co-captain Rohit Gupta will represent the Red at the Individual championships in his last tournament representing Cornell.

“Our win last week was just so amazing,” Gupta said. “The team really came together and played well. We were such underdogs in the last match against Navy, but the guys were able to pull out the huge upset.”

Gupta hopes to keep that positive vibe going into the Individual championships where he will be the No. 2 seed in the B division.

“I’m looking to do as well as I can,” Gupta said. “It’s going to be a very tough tournament, but I definitely think I have a chance of winning. I would be disappointed if I didn’t at least get into the top-8.”

Cornell freshmen Chris Sachvie and Steve Peever, who play No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, are unable to compete in the tournament. Peever is still nursing an injury and is sidelined, while Sachvie was selected to represent his country and play for the Canadian team.

Gupta has led the Red all season and now he will have to represent Cornell as its only male squash player at the Individual championships.

The women’s squash team will be represented by sophomore Alex Cornett, and freshmen Liza Stokes and Rachel Wagner.

They will all compete in the B division, which is the second draw of 32 players in the tournament. All three Cornell players are ranked in the top-half of that bracket.

“I think they have a pretty good chance of doing well,” said head coach Julee Devoy. “A lot will depend on who they get matched up against.”

The women also finished their season on a high note with a victory in the B division at Nationals, including a defeat of Bates, which has become one of the closest Cornell squash rivals, in the finals of the tournament. The Red was also able to achieve its goal of maintaining its No. 9 ranking.

“We were excellent,” Devoy said. “We achieved our goal of finish ninth and beating Bates in the final. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Co-captains junior Mairin Barnes and senior Jamie Singer will not be traveling with the Red this weekend, but they have led the women with their play throughout the season.