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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Trinity (CSA Championship)
Players Mentioned
Trinity Claims Eighth National Squash Title With 5-4 Victory Over Valiant Tiger Squad
February 19, 2006 | Men's Squash
Feb. 19, 2006
PRINCETON - The dream fell just short for the Princeton men's squash team Sunday, as the Trinity Bantams claimed their eighth straight national championship by defeating Princeton 5-4 in front of a packed house of both squash enthusiasts and rabid student fans from both schools. Trinity showed its championship experience by winning the key points, the key games and the key matches at the bottom of the lineup.
For Princeton, the loss ends the home careers of three senior standouts who were part of two national finalist squads. No. 1 Yasser El Halaby, No. 6 Nate Beck and No. 7 Dent Wilkens were integral parts of a squad that carried Princeton through a terrific four years and thrilled their fans through an exciting home weekend.
Unfortunately, the Trinity excitement carried deeper into the weekend, and it started earlier on Sunday. Knowing that a Princeton edge in the first session of a three-round format could ultimately give the Tigers a tidal wave of momentum, Trinity got critical wins from both No. 6 Manek Mathur and No. 9 Eric Wadwa. Wadwa won a tight third game against Tom McKay to open a 2-1 lead in games and proved to much in the decisive fourth game.
Kimlee Wong claimed a 3-1 win at No. 3 for Princeton to even the team match at 1-1, but Mathur pulled out a marathon victory over Beck to open the 2-1 lead. Mathur had several match balls and an 8-4 lead in the third game, but Beck rallied all the way back to force a fourth game. The match was delayed when Beck cut open his leg, but he was unfazed upon his return and continued his battle. Mathur would be the first to 8 in the fourth game, and this time he would finally convert to claim a 9-7 win and a 2-1 Trinity lead. Once again, Princeton threatened to take over control of momentum when Michael Gilman held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 over No. 8 Simba Muhwati, but the edge would be short-lived. Muhwati won the fourth game and broke the fifth open after it was tied at 2-2. His 9-3 win thrilled the Trinity faithful, and as Eduardo Pereira held a commanding lead over Princeton junior Vincent Yu at No. 5, but the Bantams on the brink of their eighth straight title and 144th consecutive win.
Princeton, which swept Court 1 the last time it played Trinity in the national final, would go on to repeat that feat Sunday. Freshman Mauricio Sanchez topped Gustav Detter 3-1, winning the final two games including a dominant performance in the fourth game. Sanchez, Wong and the younger El Halaby brother, Hesham, will be a strong foundation for Princeton to build on over the next three years.
El Halaby won his final match at Princeton over Shaun Johnstone 3-1. While one of his major goals this season, a team national championship, fell short, he still has the chance to become the only player in men's collegiate squash history to win four national championships. That will be decided in two weeks at the national championships in Amherst, Mass.
Even with the three wins on the No. 1 court, Trinity needed only one more win to claim the championship, and it came from senior Yvain Badan. In a match that was moved to another court because of the capacity crowd, Badan, a senior who was part of Trinity's lineup when the Bantams won the national title at Jadwin Gym three years ago, defeated a determined Dent Wilkens 3-0 to clinch the championship.
The only match left to be played was between Hesham El Halaby and Trinity's No. 4 player, Sahil Vora. El Halaby rallied from a 2-1 deficit in games to win 9-3 in the fifth game. Although it had no effect on the final team outcome, it was a further indication that the future of the squad is in capable hands.
Princeton will be off next weekend before sending its individuals to Amherst, Mass., for the national individual championships in two weeks.
Trinity 5, Princeton 4
1 Yasser El Halaby (P) d. Shaun Johnstone 3-1
2 Mauricio Sanchez (P) d. Gustav Detter 3-1
3 Kimlee Wong (P) d. Jacques Swanepoel 3-1
4 Hesham El Halaby (P) d. Sahil Vora 3-2
5 Eduardo Pereira (T) d. Vincent Yu 3-0
6 Manek Mathur (T) d. Nate Beck 3-1
7 Yvain Badan (T) d. Dent Wilkens 3-0
8 Simba Muhwati (T) d. Michael Gilman 3-2
9 Eric Wadhwa (T) d. Tom McKay 3-1