Three conference champions and two regional tournament champions were crowned over the weekend as the season reaches its final stages before the national championship events. Several critical Ivy League clashes and some regional match-ups also transpired over a busy few days of college squash.
Congratulations to the following teams for their winning accomplishments:
- University of Rochester – Liberty League Men’s Champions
- St. Lawrence University – Liberty League Women’s Champions
- Trinity College – NESCAC Men’s Champions
- University of Virginia – Men’s Mid-Atlantic Squash Champions
- University of Virginia – Women’s Mid-Atlantic Squash Champions
The most drama of all the championships occurred in the men’s division of the Mid-Atlantic round robin tournament. With five teams competing, Virginia earned the trophy on the back of three 5-4 victories out of four matches, taking out Franklin & Marshall by that score on Sunday to clinch the victory. The Cavaliers have lived on the edge all year, with seven 5-4 victories in their last 12 matches overall dating back to December.
In an entertaining slate of Ivy League matches, both league championship pictures became sharper with some key victories by Harvard’s teams. The Crimson women took on the challenge of playing top-ranked Princeton on the road, coming out victorious with a statement 9-0 victory. Continuing their winning streak without conceding an individual match, Harvard also beat Penn on Sunday 9-0. The other upset of the Ivy League women’s weekend was No. 12 Cornell’s 6-3 win against No. 11 Brown on Saturday.
The Harvard men handled the test against Princeton on Saturday prior to their test against No. 3 Penn at Drexel’s courts on Sunday. The Quakers threw the first punch, capturing the first three matches that finished, but Harvard’s deep, seasoned squad recovered to win the next six matches for the 6-3 victory.
Other notable Ivy League men’s results will help bring the final overall men’s rankings even tighter. In two emphatic victories, No. 7 Columbia and No. 8 Princeton made strong statements to the league and solidified their Top-8 positioning. Columbia took down No. 6 Yale 9-0 on Saturday in the Big Apple, and Princeton shocked No. 5 Dartmouth 8-1 at home on Sunday.
In other important non-conference action, a few teams justified their ranking position with the regular season coming to a close. The No. 7 Columbia women handled the test put forth by No. 8 Drexel in a 5-4 victory. Haverford College hosted a tri-match with Bucknell and Denison with both Fords teams holding serve against their club opponents. Additionally, Northeastern University hosted a local Boston round robin and welcomed the Northwestern men’s team along with other local guests.
