The women’s squash team knew their rematch against the Smith Pioneers would be a contentious affair. Although the Cardinals beat Smith in an early-season match, they have since lost their number one and number three seeds. Additionally, the top two Smith players returned from abroad. The influx of Pioneer squashers ultimately proved too great an obstacle to overcome, as Wesleyan was defeated by a match score of 6-3, dropping to 3-12 on the season.
Despite the loss, the Cardinals were pleased with their effort on the court. The team prides itself on its mental toughness and superior conditioning, traits that were evident in five-set victories by Rachel Epstein ’05 and Rika Tsuchiya ’06. During the deciding fifth sets, Epstein and Tsuchiya were both fresher than their opponents, scampering after balls like golden retrievers and overpowering their exhausted opponents.
Epstein and Tsuchiya also benefited from their ability to adapt their games to exploit their opponents’ weaknesses. After a tough fourth set, Tsuchiya rebounded by crushing her opponent 9-1 in the fifth.
“I began changing the angle of my serve and serving into the body to confuse my opponent,” Tsuchiya said.
Tsuchiya’s opponent appeared dumbfounded by the change and was unable to return Tsuchiya’s blazing stroke. Fittingly, Tsuchiya ended the match with a picturesque ace that dropped like a feather into the backhand corner.
Likewise, Epstein lost the penultimate game in decisive fashion before storming back in the deciding set. Epstein attacked short balls with the ferocity of a ransacking Visigoth barbarian, quickly winning the set 9-1 with a cruise-missile forehand winner.
“I just got a lot more aggressive between four and five and attacked her backhand,” Epstein said.
Nicole Gray ’08 picked up her second victory of the season with a convincing 3-0 demolishing of her Pioneer opponent at the number nine seed. However, only Alex Loh ’06 managed to pick up a set in the remaining six matches. Still, Coach David Tedeschi was proud of the team’s performance, as the team has made impressive strides this season, incorporating a lot of new players after the graduation of their top three from last year.
“The team has a lot of new players coming along very quickly and next year looks to be a stronger year for Wes squash,” Tedeschi said.
The team is largely composed of multiple-sport athletes, meaning that while the team has superior athleticism they do not have as much on-court experience as many of their opponents. Megan Gauvey-Kern ’07, who plays lacrosse and field hockey, fell at the number six seed in straight sets. Bridget Dwyer ’05 playing in the number one seed, was dismantled in the first two sets of her match by a big-hitting, technically-sound opponent. However, Dwyer’s superior athleticism and Rudyesque grit allowed her to compete in the third set before ultimately succumbing 9-4.
The Cardinals are preparing for their ballyhooed Little Three showdown Saturday at Amherst, pitting the Cardinals against two of the top-ranked teams in the nation, Amherst and Williams. After the Little Three matches, only one event remains in the season, the Howe Cup, where the Cardinals are expected to be a top seed in the D-flight bracket.
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