Tag Archive: Squash

  1. SQUASH: Dave Talbott to retire after 38 years as head squash coach

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    After 38 years at Yale, men’s and women’s squash head coach Dave Talbott announced his retirement on Monday.

    Talbott was appointed the men’s squash coach in 1983 and led the Bulldogs to his first of three Collegiate Squash Association national championships on the men’s side in 1989. Talbott was appointed the women’s head squash coach in 2004 after former Yale women’s squash head coach Mark Talbott — his brother — departed for Stanford. Dave Talbott had an immediate impact on the women’s team, leading them to two CSA national championships in his first two seasons at the helm. Talbott will leave his position on Jan. 31 after coaching his teams to a total of six CSA national championships and eight Ivy League championships. On Feb. 1, current men’s and women’s squash associate head coach Lynn Leong will begin serving as interim head coach.

    “The fact that I had the opportunity to be head coach and develop the squash program for 38 years at Yale is absolutely amazing,” Talbott wrote in a statement to Yale Athletics. “I have had an incredible experience here with the best players and most accomplished student-athletes from around the world.”

    While Talbott’s accolades speak for themselves, players and colleagues told the News that the longtime coach’s impact on the people around him extends far beyond the stat sheets.

    “Being on court with [Talbott] always reminded me of how much I love squash,” Yale women’s squash captain Aishwarya Bhattacharya ’21 told the News. “He inspired student-athletes both on and off the court and always put our well-being first. He has poured his heart and soul into this program for 38 years and has been instrumental [in] making Yale squash into what it is today.”

    Harrison Gill ’22, captain of the men’s team, added that Talbott’s passion for the sport is “infectious,” and that Talbott’s love for the game became instilled in the student-athletes who played for him.

    Talbott was inducted into the College Squash Association Hall of Fame in 2019, for his teams’ achievements on the court and his “contributions to the college game off the court.” Michelle Quibell ’06, a member of Talbott’s 2005 and 2006 national championship teams and a fellow 2019 CSA Hall of Fame inductee, told the News that Talbott has left a permanent impact on both the Yale squash program and the greater squash community.

    Talbott addresses the Amherst and Yale squads before a match in January 2020. (Courtesy of muscosportsphotos.com)

    “Dave has defined Yale Squash for decades and leaves a remarkable legacy at Yale with multiple titles, a world class facility and a meaningful urban squash program in New Haven,” Quibell said. “More importantly, he leaves a permanent imprint on the community and the lives of all the players he touched as he exemplified several values weaved throughout his coaching: passion, good sportsmanship, loyalty, dedication, hard work, humor and humility. I feel so blessed to have played for him, to have shared a Hall of Fame induction together and to call him a mentor, coach and friend.”

    New Haven youth have also benefited from Talbott’s mentorship. Talbott is the chair of the Squash Committee at Squash Haven, a squash and education program that seeks to develop players through their academics, athletics and character, according to the program’s website.

    Current associate head coach Leong, who has worked with Talbott since 2017, said that Talbott’s mentorship has taught her humility and patience, as well as how to work well with others. Leong added that Talbott helped her learn to “love coaching.”

    Talbott embraces last year’s women’s squash captain Lucy Beecroft ’20 after her match against Stanford on February 21, 2020. (Courtesy of muscosportsphotos.com)

    “It’s not just a job,” Leong said. “It really is a passion.”

    Yale Athletics announced that a national search for Talbott’s replacement will begin in the spring. Leong expressed interest in being hired to fill Talbott’s position long-term.

    In his statement to Yale Athletics, Talbott said the friendships he has formed and the support he has received has made his time at Yale “the best” and expressed optimism for the program’s future.

    Bhattacharya said that the team will continue to build off of the base that Talbott provided and strive to take the Yale squash team to “greater heights.”

    “It’s been an honor to play for DT,” Bhattacharya said.

    James Richardson | james.richardson@yale.edu

  2. M. SQUASH | Elis fall one match short

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    Cambridge, Mass. — The men’s squash team fell just one match short of winning the Potter Cup and ending Trinity’s unprecedented 242-contest win streak.

    The No. 2 Elis (15–2, 6–0 Ivy) had convincing wins over No. 7 Dartmouth (10–8, 2–4) and No. 3 Princeton (11–3, 5–1), 8–1 and 7–2, respectively. In the final, the Bulldogs came close to being the first team to defeat the Bantams in 12 years, but the tried and true No. 1 Trinity team (20–0) pulled off the narrow 5–4 win for their 13th consecutive national title.

    “[It was] as successful as the season could have been,” captain Naishadh Lalwani ’11 said. “We found a way to beat everyone else. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t do it against Trinity.”

    In the first round, Yale faced a struggling Ivy League opponent in the Big Green. The Bulldogs outplayed

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    Dartmouth at most spots on the ladder, winning six matches in straight games.

    John Roberts ’12 lost his match at the No. 5 position in five closely contested games, losing the last game 11–9. Kenneth Chan ’13 lost the opening two games before coming back to win his match in five games.

    “We were feeling confident and well prepared,” Chan said after the match. “We knew what we had to do and individually all managed to find a way to win our matches.”

    The next day, the Bulldogs played the No. 3 Tigers, who were looking for revenge after dropping a close match to Yale earlier in the season, 5–4. However, the Elis stepped up their play and never looked challenged in their 7–2 victory over Princeton.

    Despite dropping the top two spots on the ladder, Yale had a comfortable victory. Lalwani lost in five games at the No. 2 spot after winning the opening two.

    Chan was forced to five games again, but pulled away with the victory after trailing 1–2 in games. According to Lalwani, Chan was never tired during the course of the weekend and was always ready for the next point.

    “I think we just played to our potential,” Ryan Dowd ’12 said. “We lined up better this time around too. The individual matchups were more in our favor.”

    Sunday’s national title match was a repeat of last year’s final in which Trinity won 6–3. The result this time around, 5–4, was an improvement over the Bulldogs’ performance earlier in the year when the Bantams brushed Yale aside with a 7–2 victory.

    “Heartbreaking,” Lalwani said describing the loss. “Not much else I can say.”

    Yale looked like it was on its way to victory early in the contest, jumping out to a quick 2–1 lead in the first set of matches with wins from No. 9 Christopher Plimpton ’11 and Chan.

    Plimpton was all business in his final team match with Yale. He won in straight games and never gave his opponent an opening for victory.

    Chan, who had played two consecutive five-game matches, was forced to work again against Trinity’s Andres Vargas at the No. 3 spot. After dropping the first game, he fell to the floor in a flurry of emotions as he pulled out a big victory in four games.

    “It was very special for me personally because of my history with them,” Chan said after his match against Trinity. In last year’s national title contest, in a story that gained national attention, Chan was shoved by Trinity’s Baset Chaudhury after his 3–0 victory over Chan that sealed the Bantams’ 12th consecutive Potter Cup.

    In the next set of matches, Yale again won two of the three contests. Lalwani fell to Trinity’s Parth Sharma in four games at the No. 2 after fighting back to tie it at 1–1. After three close games, Lalwani was unable to challenge Parth in the fourth. He showed signs of fatigue from his five-set endeavor against Princeton the previous day as he had difficulty chasing the ball down in that fourth game.

    Robert Berner ’12 came through with a big win in four games to further increase the Bulldogs’ lead.

    The closest match of the evening came between John Roberts ’12 and Trinity’s Randy Lim. Roberts pulled off the victory in five games, winning the last one 11–9.

    Roberts and other Yale players were forced to play in a relatively hostile environment. Towards the end of the match, the Trinity crowd was loudly chanting and mocking the Yale players to invoke responses. Dowd said it felt like the match was being played in Hartford.

    “The Trinity alum definitely tried to instigate some form of reaction from us with taunts and jeers,” Chan said. “The team, however, maintained its composure and class and left everything on the court.”

    However, Roberts’ match would be the last match that Yale would win as the Bulldogs lost their last three matches, conceding the title to Trinity.

    Hywel Robinson ’13 and Dowd lost their matches in straight games at the No. 1 and No. 7 spots, respectively. After close first games, neither player was able to challenge his opponent in the later rounds.

    Richard Dodd ’13 took the court last with a chance to win the title for the Bulldogs at the No. 4 position. Dodd dropped the opening two games, 9–11, but he came back in the third game and won 11–9. That momentum was short lived, however, as Trinity’s Christopher Binnie wrapped up the victory in the fourth game, 11–7.

    “I think he handled it so well,” Lalwani said about Dodd. “The maturity he showed out there today was really something.”

    Next weekend, Yale will travel to Hanover to compete in the CSA Individual Championships.

  3. M. SQUASH | Yale vies for Potter Cup, Trinity looms

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    Three wins separate the Bulldogs from a national championship.

    The No. 2 men’s squash team (13–1, 6–0 Ivy), which won the Ivy League championship two weeks ago, will face No. 7 Dartmouth (10–6, 2–4) in the first round of the Potter Cup in Cambridge, Mass. Should they win, the Elis will face either No. 3 Princeton (10–2, 5–1) or No. 6 Harvard (7–5, 3–3). In the final, Yale would most likely run into longtime rival No. 1 Trinity (17–0), which has won the CSA championship for the last 12 consecutive seasons and 239 straight matches.

    “It’s the biggest prize in college squash,” captain Naishadh Lalwani ’11 said. “This weekend is a chance for us to prove that we are the best team in the country and everyone is very excited by the opportunity.”

    In the first round of action, Yale will take on the Big Green, who have won only a third of their contests against Ancient Eight opponents.

    The Bulldogs defeated Dartmouth 7–2 early in January. One of the Bulldogs’ two losses in that match was a default by Yale’s No. 1 Hywel Robinson ’13 who withdrew with a leg injury; Robinson will, however, be healthy entering into this weekend’s contests.

    “It’s the national championships,” Robinson said. “These are the top eight teams in the country. Every team is a great team. We have to play as hard as we can if we want to progress.”

    If the Bulldogs win their first-round match, they will play either Princeton or Harvard. Yale defeated both teams earlier in the season, but with varying difficulty. The Elis beat Harvard 7–2, but barely edged out Princeton 5–4.

    Although Harvard has the home-court advantage, Princeton is still the favorite going into its Friday matchup as the Tigers easily defeated Harvard earlier in the year, 7–2.

    A semifinal match between Yale and Princeton would be a repeat of the thrilling 5–4 contest three weeks ago that came down to one final match at the No. 4 position to determine the Ivy League champion.

    In that contest, Lalwani battled past his Princeton opponent, Peter Sopher, after dropping the opening game, 11–8. He crawled his way back into the match in the second set and took command in the third and fourth games.

    “Princeton’s going to be really tough,” Lalwani admitted. “It’s always hard to beat a team for a second time when the first one was so close.”

    The Bantams are undefeated this season and were unchallenged by Yale when the two teams played earlier this year. Trinity brushed aside the Bulldogs in a straightforward 7–2 victory. The most matches the Bantams have dropped against any team this season is three. Cornell, Princeton, Harvard and Rochester were the teams that accomplished that feat.

    “The focus is on Dartmouth and Princeton right now, and we will think about Trinity if we get there,” Lalwani said. “To beat Trinity anywhere would be very special, but it would be perfect if we managed to do it in the national final.”

    Play begins on Friday at 11 a.m. in Cambridge.

  4. W. SQUASH | Elis defeat Harvard for national title

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    Ranked second in the nation all season, on Sunday the women’s squash team finally proved that they deserved to be on top.

    In a repeat of last week’s contest for the Ancient Eight crown, the Elis defeated formerly top-ranked Harvard (11–2, 5–1) with the same score as last weekend, 5–4, to win their first national title in five years.

    “A national championship, Ivy title, and undefeated season speaks for itself,” head coach Dave Talbott said. “It was the culmination of a great season,”

    En route to the Howe Cup title, Yale (17–0, 6–0 Ivy) also defeated No. 8 Dartmouth (9–8, 1–5) and No. 5 Princeton (10–5, 3–3) in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively.

    “It feels incredible,” captain and 2011 Betty Richey Award recipient Logan Greer ’11 said. “As a freshman, I made it my goal to win a national championship. As a senior class, we have worked for four years with this end in mind. It is the best feeling in the world, finishing this season undefeated as a team, winning the Ivy League and national titles.”

    To begin their quest for the title, the Bulldogs took on the Big Green, who have struggled against Ivy League opponents.

    While Greer’s victory took five games, the rest of the team easily won in straight 3–0 matches.

    “Dartmouth was a great match to start with and get used to the courts,” Sarah Toomey ’11 said.

    Yale next took on the Tigers on Saturday. Princeton had the home court advantage in the tournament, and were able to pull off the upset against No. 4 Penn the previous night. The next day, Princeton gave the Bulldogs a much closer contest than earlier in the season when Yale won 7–2 at home.

    But the Elis still captured victory relatively easily with a 6–3 victory, led by Greer who won in straight games at the No. 1 position. Freshman Gwendoline Tilghman ’14 lost her second match of the year against Princeton in five closely contested games.

    “Princeton was playing much better squash this weekend than when we played them earlier in the season,” Toomey said. “Combined with their home court advantage, we had to play well to win, and it prepared us for the intensity of the final.”

    After last week’s match against Harvard, both teams knew they were in for a battle with the national title at stake.

    Lillian Fast ’14 and Toomey got Yale off to a quick 2–1 lead in the first set of matches against the Crimson. At the No. 6 position, Katie Ballaine ’13 lost in four close games, 1–3.

    In the next three matches, Yale won two out of the three contests with big wins from Mille Tomlinson ’14 and Rhetta Nadas ’12.

    Tomlinson won her match in straight games and finished her season undefeated. She was pushed to four games only once against No. 3 Trinity last month. Nadas, who according to Toomey had the best match of her career, pulled out a huge 3–2 victory for the Bulldogs.

    “Heading into the third game, I realized that my match was crucial for the win,” Nadas said. “At that moment, I just thought about the team and all we have given this season, and I was able to find the motivation to win in five games.”

    However, despite a 4–2 advantage going into the last three matches, Yale quickly found itself on the verge of defeat as Harvard tied the score at 4–4 with wins at the No. 1 and No. 7 positions.

    Greer pushed the No. 1 player in the nation Laura Gemmell to five games after being defeated in straight games last weekend. However, she was unable to pull of the win against Gemmell, who picked up her play on the final points in the match. Caroline Reigeluth ’11, who was the hero last weekend against Harvard, lost to Sarah Mumanachit at the No. 7 spot.

    The last match, between Kimberley Hay ’14 and the Crimson’s June Tiong, would decide the outcome.

    “Watching the rest of the team go on before me was definitely nerve-wrecking,” Hay admitted.

    Hay beat Tiong last weekend in straight games, but Tiong made it tougher for Hay on Sunday, forcing four games. Still, Hay came out victorious and sent Yale to its fourth national title in ten years.

    “It was an awesome feeling to be the one to clinch it and know that we had won,” Hay said. “But at the same time I knew how much effort that all of my team had put in and how much they wanted it so it was great to be able to win for them and share the experience with them.”

    Yale next heads to the College Squash Association individual championships in Hanover, N.H. on March 4.

  5. SQUASH | Three victories away from Howe title

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    After an undefeated regular season, the women’s squash team will look to extemd its win streak to 17 consecutive wins and a national championship this weekend.

    The No. 1 Elis (14–0, 6–0 Ivy) will begin its quest for the national CSA title at the Howe Cup against No. 8 Dartmouth (9–7, 1–5) on Friday. If they win, the Bulldogs will face either No. 4 Penn (7–3, 4–2) or No. 5 Princeton (9–4, 3–3) on Saturday. In the final, the Bulldogs could possibly have a rematch of last weekend’s thriller against No. 2 Harvard (9–1, 5–1).

    “This weekend is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our improvement,” captain Logan Greer ‘11 said. “All season we have worked to win a national championship and we now have the chance to accomplish that goal.”

    [ydn-legacy-photo-inline id=”4863″ ]

    The match against Dartmouth should not be much of a challenge for Yale, who defeated the Big Green earlier in the season 6–3. However, Kimberley Hay ’14, who plays the No. 4 position, and Millie Tomlinson ’14, who has played at the No. 3 spot, did not play in that contest. Both players will be on the court this weekend.

    Tomlinson went undefeated during the regular season and was only pushed to four games one this season against No. 3 Trinity. She will be No. 2 on the Elis’ ladder behind Greer for the national tournament.

    “They have been solid all year, and all of them have been in pressure situations and responded well,” Caroline Reigeluth ‘11 said.

    The Bulldogs would then play either Princeton or Penn in the second round. Though the match against Princeton was a straightforward 7–2 win, the contest against Penn did not come as easily. They barely edged the Quakers in the opening match of the season, winning 5–4.

    Penn has swept Yale in each of the past four years, and this season was the first time Yale defeated the Quakers in regular season play.

    The freshmen made a big difference in the match. Lillian Fast ‘14 pulled out a huge win at the No. 5 spot in five games that would have otherwise set back the Bulldogs’ entire season. The Bulldogs would have had to settle for a share of the Ivy League title at best.

    “Beating those teams a second time will require immense focus and determination,” Greer said.

    The matches this weekend will test the consistency of the Bulldog team, who will have to compete in three tough matches in three consecutive days. The Elis could face Harvard again in the finals after its narrow 1 point victory over the Crimson last week.

    “We essentially have to be really consistent in every spot collectively over a three day period,” Reigeluth said. “As great as last weekend was, we can’t let down now. We have some challenging matches and everyone needs to contribute their piece.”

    Reigeluth was the hero of last weekend’s match against Harvard. With the match scored tied at 4–4 a piece, she fought her way to a five game victory, ensuring her team both the Ivy title and the No. 1 ranking.

    The team is looking to build off of last week’s success and does not want to lose focus of the task at hand. Greer stressed the importance of taking it one match at a time and concentrating on each individual match.

    “Being able to maintain the focus that we’ve had for the past six month,” Katie Ballaine ’13 said. “We’re coming off of an Ivy championship high, so we want to use this positive energy for a national title.”

    Yale’s match against Dartmouth begins at 4:30 p.m. in Princeton, N.J.

  6. M. SQUASH | Yale wins second consecutive Ivy title

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    The No. 2 Yale men’s squash team cruised past No. 6 Harvard on Saturday night en route to its second consecutive Ivy League title for the first time in the team’s history.

    The Bulldogs (13–1, 6–0 Ivy) defeated the Crimson (7–4, 3–3) 7–2 and prevented Princeton from having a share of the league title. Although the match did not have the excitement of their contest against No. 3 Princeton, the Elis made it clear that they were the better and fitter team from the beginning.

    “The loss at Trinity really hurt and the way the team has bounced back after has been great,” captain Naishadh Lalwani ’11. “Its exciting to turn our attention to our goal of finishing the year as national champions.”

    Richard Dodd ’13, John Roberts ’12 and Christopher Plimpton ’11 won their matches to get Yale off to a quick start.

    Dodd and Roberts both won their matches in four close games while Plimpton brushed aside his opponent in straight games.

    At the No. 3 position, Dodd dropped the second game 11–13 after coasting past Harvard’s Richard Hill in the first game. Though the competition stayed close for the remainder of the match, Dodd proved to be too strong for Hill.

    Roberts dropped the third game as Harvard’s Nigel Koh fought to stay in every rally and forced Roberts to hit extra shots. However, Roberts defeated Koh in the fourth game 11–7.

    “The hardest part was in the fourth trying to close it out,” Roberts said. “As it gets close to the end, it becomes hard to win points as he tries to stay in the match. The nerves begin to set in since you know what’s on the line.”

    Ryan Dowd ’12, John Fulham ’11, and Lalwani then secured victories at the No. 8, No. 5, and No. 2 spots, respectively, to secure the team’s second consecutive Ivy League title.

    “I completely believe that we have the strongest squash program in the country,” Lalwani said. “It’s clear that no team works as hard as we do and our success this season is due to all the work we do in the fall.”

    Dowd and Fulham both won their matches in straight games and looked untroubled. For Fulham and the other seniors on the team, it was their last regular season match of their college careers.

    Lalwani dismissed his opponent in straight games.

    “We have a lot of talent, but everyone on this team has worked incredibly hard to achieve what we have,” Dowd said.

    To Harvard’s credit, the Crimson won two of the remaining three matches despite guaranteed defeat. Hywel Robinson ’13 and Robert Berner ’12 lost their matches at the No. 1 and No. 7 spots, respectively. After winning the first game, Robinson dropped the next two consecutive games. However, he fought back to force a deciding fifth game. But Harvard’s Gary Power edged past Robinson in the final few points of the match, winning 12–10.

    Kenneth Chan ’13 rounded out the wins for Yale with a victory at the No. 4 position, 3–1.

    “It wasn’t that easy a match,” Chan said. “We came into the match confident and well prepared and dealt with business at Harvard to secure the Ivy title.”

    After securing the title, players immediately began looking forward to the matches next week at the National Championships at Harvard.

    “We have to make sure we get to Trinity first,” Robinson said. “There are a lot of tough teams in the national championships. But we have to get back on court first thing Monday morning.”

    The men will return to action this weekend in the CSA National Championships at Harvard.

  7. W. SQUASH | Yale defeats defending champions for title

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    It came down to the very last match and the very last game, but it was Yale that ultimately prevailed.

    Caroline Reiegeluth ’11 took the fifth game of her match against the Crimson’s Sarah Mumanachit for the match victory, 5–4, and Yale’s first Ivy League title in seven years. The win (14–0, 5–0 Ivy) capped an undefeated regular season for the No. 2 Elis (14–0, 5–0), dethroning last year’s Ivy champs, No. 1 Harvard (9–1, 5–1).

    “This win was especially meaningful for the seniors,” captain Logan Greer ’11 said. “We’ve been working four years for this and it is amazing that we finally accomplished our goal of an Ivy League championship.”

    The contest began and Yale got off to a quick start winning two of the first three matches.

    Sarah Toomey’ 11 had a tough fought straight game victory at the No. 3 position. Toomey, a player who has had consistent strong performances this season, made use of shot variety and sped around the court to wear her opponent down.

    “This was the perfect culmination of four years of work,” Toomey said. “The team showed incredible determination to pull out such an important win on the road.”

    Playing away from home was not a difficult adjustment, according to Toomey. She said that there were a large number of Yale supporters and parents that neutralized the home court advantage for Harvard.

    However, Harvard evened the overall score by winning two of the next three matches. Gwendoline Tilghman ’14 lost her first match of the season in four games. After a 12–10 win in the first game, she was unable to keep the score close for the remainder of the match.

    Rhetta Nadas ’12 also lost her match in four games. After dropping the first game, Nadas won a marathon 19–17 second game. However, she ran out of steam and lost handily in the next two games.

    Millie Tomlinson ’11 continued her dominant performance this season with a comfortable win at the No. 2 position to finish the regular season undefeated.

    “She just played to her strengths and, after wearing her opponent down, forced her to make mistakes,” Greer said about Tomlinson’s match.

    The next match featured two of the strongest players in women’s squash at the No. 1 position, No. 3 Greer and Harvard’s No. 1 Laura Gemmell. However, the contest quickly became lopsided, as Greer lost the first game 11–0. Gemmell continued her dominating performances in the next two sets, winning both, 11–6 and 11–8.

    After Gemmell’s win, Harvard needed only one more match win to win the Ivy League title for the second consecutive year. But Yale would not be deterred.

    The pressure of keeping Yale’s hopes alive fell on freshman Kimberley Hay ’14. She did not let the situation affect her game as she eased past Harvard’s June Tiong and won in straight games.

    With the match tied at 4–4, Caroline Reigeluth ’11 took the court against Sarah Mumanachit in a match that would decide which team would be the Ivy League champion and take the No. 1 seed heading into the national championship tournament.

    Reigeluth dropped the first game 6–11, but she came storming back to win the second and third games, 11–7 and 11–6.

    “I knew I was the deciding match but I knew how hard the team was pulling for me,” Reigeluth said. “The support just reminded me to stick to my game plan and win it for the team. “

    But Mumanachit would not give up and edged Reigeluth in the fourth game, 9–11. In the fifth game, the senior’s experience made the difference as she fought her way to an 11–7 win, giving her team their first Ivy League title in seven years.

    “Ultimately it’s a team effort and it was just a coincidence that the last match came down to me,” Reigeluth said. “I am really happy that I was able to contribute but it took all 16 of us to win.”

    The Elis will now be the top ranked team going into the Howe Cup this weekend at Princeton.

  8. SQUASH | Title implications for squash

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    The men’s and women’s squash teams will head to Cambridge this Saturday to face Harvard in matches that have Ivy League title implications.

    The No. 2 men’s squash (12–1, 5–0 Ivy) will look to capture sole ownership of the league championship this week, as they have already won at least a share of the title with No. 3 Princeton after their win over No. 12 Brown and the Tiger’s defeat over No. 6 Harvard (7–3, 3–2) last weekend. A win against No. 1 Harvard (8–0, 5–0) for the No. 2 women’s team (13–0, 5–0) would give the Bulldogs their first Ivy League title in over five seasons and the No. 1 ranking going into the Howe Cup, the national championship that begins next weekend.

    “This is the position that we wanted to be in — to go to Harvard knowing that a win would mean an Ivy Title,” men’s captain Naishadh Lalwani ’11 said. “It’s great that we’ve been able to do that and now we just need to finish the job on Saturday.”

    The Bulldogs have had little trouble this season with Ivy League opponents except for a tightly contested 5–4 victory over No. 3 Princeton. Lalwani was the hero of that contest, coming through with the last match victory at the No. 4 position.

    Last year, the battle against the Crimson was one sided as Yale won 8–1. Harvard was unable to handle the depth of the Yale lineup, which Lalwani said has gotten even stronger this year.

    For Harvard, this weekend’s match against Yale will be a chance for redemption. Their loss to the Elis last season cost them a share of the Ivy League title.

    “It’s always tough playing Harvard away and we’re going to have to play our best if we want to win,” Lalwani said.

    For the women, this weekend’s match will be their biggest test of the season. Both Harvard, the defending national champions, and Yale are undefeated thus far, and the winner will take home the Ivy League title.

    The two teams faced off in the finals of the Ivy Scrimmages in the early stages of the season and Yale easily defeated Harvard, 6–3. Last year, the Crimson handily defeated Yale 7–2 in the regular season. In that match, the Bulldogs were given a huge beating, losing six matches in straight games.

    “We are playing for an Ivy League championship,” captain Logan Greer ’11 said. “We have worked toward this match all year and we are ready to step up and challenge Harvard.”

    Yale had a comfortable 9–0 victory over No. 10 Brown last weekend while Harvard defeated No. 3 Trinity, 7–2. The Elis defeated Trinity earlier this year 6–3.

    At the No. 1 position, No. 3 Greer will face Harvard’s Laura Gemmell, the top player in the country. Gemmell defeated Trinity’s Catalina Pelaez, who defeated Greer last month.

    “Our team needs to play with determination; that is, we need to refuse to lose,” Greer said. “By competing hard, by wearing Harvard down physically and mentally, we will be successful.”

    In their contest against Trinity, Harvard lost their match at the No. 3 position. Millie Tomlinson ’14, the No. 10 player in the country, will play at that spot on Saturday and is undefeated this season.

    “We have been building up to this match all season,” Sarah Toomey ’11 said. “Winning would mean an undefeated regular season and Ivy title.”

    The match begins at 1 p.m. for the women and 4 p.m. for the men.

  9. M. SQUASH | Elis close in on title

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    The Yale men’s squash team moved to within one win of their second consecutive Ivy League title after defeating Brown on Saturday at the Brady Squash Center.

    The No. 2 Bulldogs (12–1, 5–0 Ivy) faced little resistance from the No. 12 Bears (6–5, 0–4), who have yet to defeat an Ivy League opponent. The Bulldogs will need to beat No. 6 Harvard next Saturday in order to stayed undefeated and defend their Ancient Eight title.

    “To win 9–0 is always a good feeling,” captain Naishadh Lalwani ’11 said. “Brown is an Ivy team, so all our other wins would count for nothing if we slipped up on Saturday.”

    Last year, the Elis defeated Brown 9–0. This year the story was similar and the Bulldogs looked ready to compete from the first match that went on court.

    One of the hardest fought games of the week took place at the No. 1 position between Lalwani and Brown’s Brad Thompson.

    Lalwani got off to a quick start in the first game and took a 3–0 lead. Thompson battled back and eventually tied the score at 8–8. With momentum on his side, the Thompson went up 8–10 and had two game points.

    But Lalwani, the hero of the match against Princeton last Saturday, did not let the pressure affect his play as he tied the score at 10–10. After a long rally, Thompson took the next point for another chance at the game win; however, the Bulldog captain denied that opportunity for the third time and won the next two points to take the first game, 13–11.

    In the next two games, Brown was unable to challenge the fitter Lalwani who varied his shots and moved his opponent around the court, winning 11–4 and 11–2.

    The matches at the No. 6 and No. 7 positions were the only ones to go for more than three games. Yale won both of those matches comfortably in four games.

    “We played our best and everyone was focused, well prepared, and got the job done,” John Roberts ’12 said. “[The match against Harvard] is our last conference game of the year. This week is going to be key. We have not thought of nationals, we are just thinking about this game.”

    “[The win] definitely sets us up well for Harvard next Saturday, as we will be going in with some momentum,” Lalwani added.

    The Bulldogs will next face No. 6 Harvard on Saturday. The contest is set to begin at 4 p.m. at the Crimson’s courts.

  10. W. SQUASH | Women take down the Bears

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    The women’s squash team earned its ninth 9–0 win of the season after easily defeating No. 10 Brown on Saturday afternoon.

    With the win, the No. 2 Bulldogs (13–0, 5–0 Ivy) continued their dominant, undefeated season and are just one win away from the Ivy League title. The Bulldogs hope to get that win against an undefeated No. 1 Harvard team (7–0, 4–0) next weekend.

    The Bears (6–5, 0–3) have yet defeat an Ivy League opponent and currently have not won a single match in Ancient Eight play. Last year, the Elis defeated the Bears 8–1, but the improved Eli squad did not drop a single match this year.

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    “The win against Brown brought us one step closer to an Ivy League championship,” captain Logan Greer ’11 said. “Our team is now looking to next weekend when we face Harvard.”

    Yale cruised through seven of their matches against the Bears, winning in straight games. However, the No. 9 and No. 6 matches went to four and five games, respectively.

    The No. 6 match was a hard fought battle between Katie Harrison ’13 and Brown’s Sophie Scherl.

    Harrison got off to a good start and won the first game 11–6. But as the match progressed, Scherl was more agile and made better shot selections to take the second and third games.

    In the fourth game, the two players traded points back and forth until the final points. Harrison finally broke through her opponent’s defenses and took the game 16–14.

    There was no let up from either player in the deciding game. Both players continued to battle, but Harrison proved to be strong under pressure and took the game, 11–9, and match.

    Greer said that the Bulldog’s will need to play with the same intensity as Harrison did on Saturday next week if they want to win the Ivy League title

    “In order to beat Harvard, we need to be mentally tough,” Greer said.

    The team’s freshmen, including standout Millie Tomlinson ’14, did not play and rested for the team’s upcoming contest against Harvard.

    Greer said that the freshmen will be essential for the Bulldogs against the Crimson next week.

    “They [have] responded well,” Greer said. “They have been tested and challenged all season, and are well prepared for the pressure they will face next Saturday.”

    For the Yale seniors, it was their last home match of their careers and players noted the special occasion for the team.

    “It was really nice for it to be at home and for all of our families to be at home,” Caroline Reigeluth ’11 said. “It was nice to have that time to spend with each other.”

    Yale will travel to the Harvard courts on Saturday and play against the Crimson will begin at 4 p.m.

  11. SQUASH | Two wins from the title

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    Both the No. 2 men’s and No. 2 women’s squash teams are just two wins away from Ivy League titles.

    After coming off two much-needed victories against Princeton, the two teams will try to knock down one of those wins as they take on Brown this Saturday at the Brady Squash Center.

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    The men’s team (11–1, 4–0 Ivy) is trying to win its second consecutive conference championship and a victory against No. 12 Brown (6–3, 0–3) is critical.

    “After the high of beating Princeton last week, we need to stay focused and make sure we take care of business on Saturday,” captain Naishadh Lalwani ’11 said. “It is important for us to put on a good performance and set ourselves up for Harvard next week.”

    The men are coming off a big 5–4 victory against Ivy foe No. 3 Princeton, thanks to Lalwani’s win in the final match.

    Brown has struggled in conference play this year, losing to Harvard, Princeton and Penn. The Bears will be returning to the Brady Squash Center for the second time this year, having competed at the Yale Round Robin. The team did not play against the Elis at the event, but defeated St. Lawrence, 6–3, and Middlebury, 7–2. The two wins gave the Bears a four-game win streak.

    The Bulldogs were scheduled to play Middlebury on Tuesday, but the match was canceled due to inclement weather.

    “Our team has been performing very well,” Lalwani said. “The only blip has been Trinity, which we will hopefully get a chance to rectify before the season ends.”

    The undefeated women’s team (12–0, 4–0) will look to continue their streak and prepare for their biggest contest of the season against No. 1 Harvard next week.

    Brown (5–4,0–3) has struggled thus far in Ivy League play and has failed to even win one match in their contests against Princeton, Penn and Harvard.

    The Bear’s No. 1 player, Sarah Crosky, is currently ranked No. 63 in the nation. She will face No. 3 Greer, who defeated Crosky in straight games last year.

    For this weekend’s contest and next weekend’s battle against Harvard, the Bulldogs will also need continued strong play from the team’s freshmen. Gwendoline Tilghman ’14 and Camilla Tomlinson ’14 have not lost a match all season. Tomlinson has only dropped one game so far this season in the team’s match against No. 3 Trinity, but she then came back and won comfortably in four games.

    Both teams begin play on Saturday against the Bears at 12 p.m. at the Brady Squash Center.