Winter break may have been a time of R&R with the family for most of us, but Wesleyan squash was busy forming its own familial bonds with one another. Over winter break, both the men’s and women’s teams traveled to Arizona to train in a more hospitable climate than perennially 32 degree Wesleyan.

“It was a really great experience for all of us and I think we really came together as a team because of it,” said Chase Hochman ’14.” There were a lot of cultural experiences outside of squash to occupy us while we were in Arizona.”

The squash team went through “quite a bit of intense training” said Alex Nunez ’14, which they hoped would prepare them for both the teams and the sub-zero temperatures to which they were returning.

Hochman’s words were put to the test as the team faced a slew of tough competition upon their return to the East Coast. First, the squad led off with a trip to the Pioneer Valley Invitational hosted by Amherst, in which Wesleyan took on Franklin and Marshall College, St. Lawrence University, Columbia University, and NESCAC rival Connecticut College. The Cardinals managed their only win of the tournament against rival Conn. College in a contested 7-2 victory, while falling to Franklin and Marshall, St. Lawrence, and Columbia by scores of 0-9, 1-8 and 4-5, respectively. The only player to win his match against St. Lawrence was #1 John Steele ’14, who improved to 12-2 on the year. After the tournament, the Wes men improved their post-break record to a solid 3-3 after defeating both Hobart (7-2) and Fordham (9-0).

Their record now stands at 10-5 on the year, and, as #7/8. The Cardinals will look to carry their increasingly strong play over into important grudge matches this weekend against bitter Little Three rivals Amherst and Williams.

“We can’t be stopped,” said Luke Wherry ’13.

While the men came back from break slightly shaky with the 1-3 record they amassed at the invitational, the women fared slightly better, going 2-2 on the tourney. The squad racked up impressively dominant wins over Smith College and St. Lawrence University (both 9-0), but fell to Franklin and Marshall (3-6) and Columbia University (2-7) mimicking the men’s results against those two schools.

As snow coats the ground everywhere around us here at Wesleyan, and our arctic college allows us the privilege of a day of rest, both of the squash teams look ahead to their games on Saturday Jan. 29 against Little Three rivals Williams and Amherst, to be played at Amherst.