Princeton University Athletics
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Western Ontario (CSA Quarters)
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Men's Squash Earns Semifinal Rematch With Yale, Tops Western Ontario 8-1
February 17, 2006 | Men's Squash
Feb. 17, 2006
PRINCETON - As they watched the Yale men's squash team celebrate on its home courts three weeks ago, the members of the Princeton men's squash team could only hope for one more chance at the Bulldogs. Thanks to an 8-1 victory Friday over Western Ontario, the No. 3 Princeton Tigers earned that opportunity Saturday at noon.
Princeton won its College Squash Association Potter Division quarterfinal 8-1 over Western Ontario. The Tigers won six of their matches by 3-0 scores and got a dramatic 3-2 win from No. 8 Mike Gilman to help clinch the win.
That win sets up the showdown with No. 2 Yale, which swept Williams College 9-0 Friday. Yale and Princeton will play on Jadwin squash courts 1-2-3; at the same time, No. 1 Trinity and No. 4 Harvard will meet in the other semifinal on courts 7-8-9.
Playing a three-match format, Princeton jumped out to a 2-1 lead. Freshman Kimlee Wong overcame some early nerves in the first game, which caused him to trail early. He got going quickly and never let Andrew Janzic back into the match, sweeping his way to the first win of the match.
Princeton got its other win at No. 9 from Tom McKay, who played a close first game but pulled out the win, and went on to claim a 3-0 win.
The second session featured the match of the night, as No. 8 Mike Gilman won a 3-2 thriller for the Tigers. He lost the first game 10-9, a loss that would set him up needing to win both of the final two games to clinch the match. He extended Tyler Parrington in the fourth game, fighting off a match ball before pulling out the win, and then steamrolled to a quick and sizable lead in the fifth game.
The match was clinched by the time the second session was finished, as both No. 2 Mauricio Sanchez and No. 5 Vincent Yu pulled out wins. The actual clincher came in the third session, though, as quick wins by Wong and Sanchez allowed No. 1 player Yasser El Halaby to get to his match early. The senior tri-captain, who has overcome a foot injury and is playing the final three home matches of his historic career, never allowed Iain Crozier in the match and pulled out a 3-0 win. No. 4 Hesham El Halaby and No. 7 Dent Wilkens put the final touches on the victory with matching 9-0 wins.
Princeton will now face Yale, although the Tigers will have one major asset it didn't have in the regular season. El Halaby couldn't play No. 1 because of his injury, and despite a valiant effort, the shorthanded Tigers couldn't pull out the win against an experienced and talented Yale squad.
Saturday's match should prove to be just as exciting, but it will also prove incredibly meaningful, because only one will play Sunday at noon for the national championship.
No. 3 Princeton 8, No. 6 Western Ontario 1
1 Yasser El Halaby (P) d. Iain Crozier 3-0
2 Mauricio Sanchez (P) d. Greg Hutner 3-0
3 Kimlee Wong (P) d. Andrew Janzic 3-0
4 Hesham El Halaby (P) d. Michael Auer 3-0
5 Vincent Yu (P) d. Alex Carter 3-1
6 Chris Hanebury (WO) d. Nate Beck 3-0
7 Dent Wilkens (P) d. Jeff Lurie 3-0
8 Mike Gilman (P) d. Tyler Parrington 3-2
9 Tom McKay (P) d. Ryan Osborne 3-0