It’s already a well-known fact that camels cannot hold squash rackets, but the men’s and women’s squash teams proved that hypothesis further with decisive victories over the Conn College Camels on Saturday, Nov. 16. The intrastate matchup with our foes from New London was the inaugural contest for the 2013-14 season, and both sides won in dominating fashion: 7-2 for the men and 9-0 for the women. Dominating a NESCAC opponent is the perfect way to kick off a season in any sport, but for Coach Shonna Kerr’s squads, this was a showcase of the highly touted depth and discipline of these Cardinals.
Led by Captain Mary Foster ’14 at the top spot, the Redbirds held the Camels to goose eggs on Saturday, as every matchup ended in decisive 3-0 victories. Wesleyan’s starting lineup was loaded with letter-winners, as seven of the nine who took the court for the Birds were returning upperclassmen. The veterans’ presence was felt by the overpowered Camel competitors, none of whom were able to score more than seven points in any of their 27 games.
Returning second-year player Bridget Doherty ’16 quashed any indications of a sophomore slump with an emphatic victory in her match at the nine spot. Doherty handily defeated her Conn College counterpart, only allowing her to score three points on the entire match.
For Foster, hammering the Camels so effortlessly was a welcomed early-season surprise as well as an indication of greater things to come.
“I was impressed by the amount of focus and intensity from every single player on our team,” Foster said. “Even though many of the matches were not close, every one of our players kept their level of play consistent. My match was similar to many others on the team. I had to be patient and stay focused, which allowed me to remain in the point long enough for my opponent to make a mistake. As a team we were seeded higher than Conn, but I was not expecting such a decisive win.”
The women will resume play this weekend in the Boston Round Robin Invitational at MIT, competing against Wellesley College and Northeastern University. Foster envisions positive results again on the road if the squad can replicate the same hustle it displayed against Conn.
“This weekend we play in Boston against two other teams, and if we bring the intensity from this weekend, I expect us to come out on top,” she said.
Although the men’s squad had a bit more difficulty disposing of the Camels, the Birds pulled out three 3-2 matches. According to Captain Ethan Moritz ’14, the team’s mental edge helped them pull ahead.
“Most of the matches went back and forth, and while most of the wins were pretty ugly, it was important that we could pull it out even while we weren’t at our best,” Moritz said. “Since it was the first match of the season, and it was the first match for some of the guys on the team, [such as] Grant Lounsbury, a freshman, and Johnny ‘100’ Bebbington [’16], who only played one match last year due to injury, it was important that we established focus in our first match and went out playing as well as we could. Though our play wasn’t perfect on the day, everyone was focused throughout the match, and the wins across the board came from strong mental focus and preparation.”
Captain John Steele ’14 and Moritz were among those able to persevere during those close battles, as well as veteran Dan “The RA” Sneed ’15 at the five spot.
Returning for his second season holding down the number two spot, Guy Davidson ’16 was particularly brilliant in his battle, blanking his opponent 3-0. After leading the team in individual wins with a 17-5 record last year, Davidson will look to climb up the College Squash Association (CSA) rankings. Captain Zander Nassikas ’14 has nothing but praise for his teammate as he continues to emerge as a top-flight player for this club.
“I want to draw attention to Guy Davidson,” Nassikas said. “He won in three straight, relatively easy games. Although he did say that he never got a rhythm going, never felt flowing, he still won in three games. Was there anybody else who won in three? He is a rock for us at number two.”
The Cardinals will need to harness their individual grit to turn out a team victory this weekend, with matches against Boston College, MIT and the U.S. Naval Academy. On Saturday, Nov. 23, the team will venture up to Boston as well for the MIT-hosted tournament and then return to Middletown for its home opener: a massive battle against the formidable Naval Academy. This entire week will be focused squarely on preparation for the Sunday, Nov. 24 battle between ranked foes, according to Nassikas. In fact, this match has been on the minds of these Cardinals for some time now.
“It is my senior year,” Nassikas said. “It’s John and Ethan’s senior year. I have played for thirteen years now and want badly a victory against Navy. It’s funny how all those years of training, focus, summer camps, early mornings, can come down to one or two clutch points. That’s what sports are all about, right?”