This past weekend saw one of the most successful performances by the men’s and women’s squash teams in recent memory. On the road for the last matches of the regular season, the women went 1-1 while the men managed to sweep both of their opponents. The Red won in convincing fashion as each of the three wins was a 9-0 shutout.
“Everyone came out in full force and stepped up,” said sophomore Brooke Stetson.
The weekend started off Saturday morning in Annapolis, MD with the women’s matches against Navy. Unfortunately, the Midshipwomen were too strong for the Red and handed Cornell a decisive defeat.
These matches were the last any Cornell player would lose for the remainder of the day. “We stayed positive and it paid off in a big way,” said Stetson.
Winning Ways
Soon after the women’s matches concluded, it was the men’s turn to take on the Midshipmen. Riding a four-match winning streak, Cornell was not to be denied and quickly dispatched its opponents; eight of the nine matches took the minimum three games, all Red victories.
The less-than-stellar competition was an opportunity for the squashers to work on weaknesses in their individual games and to try new strategies.
“We weren’t expecting to be pushed too hard in these matches, so it great to have a chance to experiment,” said freshman Matt Serediak. “I tried to work on some of the things we talk about in practice to get ready for Nationals.”
Cornell’s success continued in the afternoon as the women asserted themselves victoriously against George Washington. For a squad that has been through some trying times during this rebuilding season, the 9-0 final score was a welcome and heartening sight.
“This was a big win for us, especially at the end of our season,” said senior captain Rachel Perschetz. “We’ve all been working so hard, it’s great to see it pay off.”
The Red men equaled the women with a shutout of their own against Franklin & Marshall later Saturday evening. For the seniors, the victory was just how they wanted to end their final regular season.
“Dan [Galbraith], Jeff [Porter], Kenny [Greer], and I have been through a lot together,” said senior Tim Nagel. “The last few years have been amazing for all of us and it was perfect to end the regular season with a successful weekend.”
Archived article by Per Ostman