Back in Action in 2010

January 27

After a much needed, restful break, the squash teams were back in Kenyon for two-a-day winter training sessions. For six hours a day, Coach Parker pushed us to go above and beyond our pre-break fitness and skill levels. Due to Bowdoin College’s unexpected drop in the rankings, the women’s team was now ranked 16th nationally, our highest ranking in several years, placing us on track for the “B” bracket at nationals where we would compete for the prestigious Kurtz Cup against Ivy League Universities.

Our physical and mental toughness was tested this past weekend as we traveled to Amherst, MA to play two tough competitors, Franklin and Marshall College, and Colby College. Franklin and Marshall were ranked closely behind us at number 18 and we needed a decisive victory in order to maintain our ranking. Wins from Kristine Bell, Libby Pei, Meg Taylor, and Alexa Lichtenstein put Vassar ahead 4-2, needing one more match to clinch the win. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the team and our friends and families there to cheer us on, I recorded the fifth Vassar win and we defeated Franklin and Marshall 5-4.

Due to late starts and long matches, it was nearly 8pm before we began our 6pm scheduled match against Colby. We were exhausted from our first week back at school, our intense previous matches, and many of us were fighting sickness. As soon as the matches began, we knew we had another grueling competition ahead of us. Ultimately, Colby’s top of the ladder proved to be too strong for us on Saturday as they defeated Vassar at the top four spots. Caitlin Ly and Anna Licht avenged their losses to F&M by defeating their Colby opponents. Meg Taylor and Alexa Lichtenstein landed their second wins for the day and earned Liberty League Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively.

Although we were disappointed as we ended up losing 5-4, and completely exhausted as the bus pulled into Kenyon close to 1am, we were proud of our hard work and close matches. We have a very tough and exciting schedule this season and are looking forward to playing a series of home matches and hosting the Seven Sisters Tournament and Vassar Challenge before heading to Yale for Nationals at the end of February.