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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Williams (Quarterfinals)
Players Mentioned
Men's Squash Gets By Williams 7-2, Will Face Harvard In Semifinals
February 23, 2007 | Men's Squash
Without two starters in the lineup and facing a talented Williams squad, the second-ranked Princeton men's squash team pulled out a 7-2 quarterfinal victory to advance to the national team semifinals Saturday at Yale. Led by its strong sophomore trio, the Tigers swept the top four matches, including another 3-0 win for the unbeaten Mauricio Sanchez. Matching this effort Saturday will be a daunting task against a Harvard squad that nearly upset No. 1 Trinity a couple weeks ago.
Freshman David Canner, who has thrived at the No. 6 position over the last month and picked up a momentum-changing win in the regular-season defeat of Harvard, injured himself late in last weekend's loss to Trinity and will not be available this weekend. Classmate Santiago Imberton, still feeling the effects of a marathon loss to Trinity's Eduardo Pereria in the same match, was rested Friday, although he will start for Princeton at No. 5 against Harvard.
Playing a three-round format, the Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first stage. Sophomore Kimlee Wong won in four games at No. 3, and senior Michael Gilman won two tight games early before cruising in the final one for a 3-0 win. Junior Brendon Bascom, playing in his first meaningful match of the season, delivered an impressive win at No. 9. He went to overtime in the second game, but he pulled out a 10-8 score en route to a 3-0 win.
Things got a little tighter in the next stage of matches. No. 2 player Hesham El Halaby split his first two games, but he came back with 9-7 and 9-3 wins to claim the match and give Princeton a 4-0 lead. Preston Comey, playing in Imberton's spot at No. 5, took a 2-1 lead but couldn't finish it off in a 3-2 loss. No. 8 Parker Sutton fell into an early 2-0 hole before rallying for 9-1 and 9-0 wins. He couldn't pick off the fifth game as well, and Williams still had life entering the final stage of matches.
It wouldn't last long. Senior Tom McKay lost only two points in his 3-0 win at No. 7, and Sanchez dropped only four points in his win at No. 1. Senior Vincent Yu spent significantly more time on the court, but he pulled out a 3-9 9-4 7-9 9-5 9-5 victory.
Princeton will face Harvard Saturday at noon in Yale's main squash courts. The winner will face the winner of the Trinity/Yale semifinal, which will be played later in the afternoon.
#1 position: Mauricio Sanchez, Princeton vs W Walter, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 9-1 9-1 9-2.
#2 position: Hesham El Halaby, Princeton vs J Barry, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 9-3 5-9 9-7 9-3.
#3 position: Kimlee Wong, Princeton vs T Maruca, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 9-1 7-9 9-1 9-4.
#4 position: Vincent Yu, Princeton vs T Kyle, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 3-9 9-4 7-9 9-5 9-5.
#5 position: Preston Comey, Princeton vs G Miller, Williams. Williams won with scores of 9-3 2-9 3-9 9-6 9-5.
#6 position: Michael Gilman, Princeton vs E Buchsbaum, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 10-8 9-7 9-3.
#7 position: Tom McKay, Princeton vs B Marshall, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 9-1 9-0 9-1.
#8 position: Parker Sutton, Princeton vs J Wessler, Williams. Williams won with scores of 10-8 9-1 1-9 0-9 9-3.
#9 position: Brendon Bascom, Princeton vs A Pizzi, Williams. Princeton won with scores of 9-2 10-8 9-0.