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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Undermanned Men's Squash Reaches National Final With Gutsy 5-4 Win Over Harvard
February 24, 2007 | Men's Squash
Most people considered it an upset when the Princeton men's squash team knocked off then-No. 2 Harvard 6-3 at the Jadwin Squash Courts to claim the 2007 Ivy League championship. Saturday's rematch was held at a neutral site, and it was played without one of Princeton's top regulars. The outcome would be no different, though. The Tigers got a critical five-game win from Parker Sutton, who was called up to the varsity nine following David Canner's injury last weekend, and then picked up a pair of wins during the final shift to advance to Sunday's national final, which will come against eight-time champion Trinity.
"We're thrilled to be going back to the championship match," head coach Bob Callahan said afterwards. "People were surprised we beat Harvard the first time, but to do it again, without David Canner, is really something. It was a terrific match, and I'm really happy for the guys. Parker Sutton was a big hero for us today, coming up with a five-game win."
Playing a three-shift format, Princeton picked up a quick win at No. 3 when the talented Kimlee Wong knocked off Colin West 9-2, 9-4, 9-5. Wong has been playing as well as almost anybody on the team, with the possible exception of No. 1 Mauricio Sanchez, and his competitive drive sent Princeton out on the right foot. Harvard got one back when Garnett Booth picked up a four-game win over Preston Comey at No. 6. Booth fell to Canner in this same spot two weeks ago, but he came up with a good effort against the senior Comey to level the match.
It looked good early for Princeton to get a 2-1 lead, as Sutton raced out to a 2-0 edge on No. 9 Todd Ostrow, but the Crimson competitor rallied with two straight wins to even the match at 2. It might have been an opportunity for the inexperienced Sutton to fold, but he took this opportunity instead to leave a lasting legacy on the program. His 9-6 victory in the fifth game gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead, and it would prove to be a most critical win.
The second stage featured three 3-0 matches, two of which went to the Crimson. Harvard No. 2 Ilan Oren played a near-flawless match to knock off Hesham El Halaby 9-3, 9-0, 9-5, and No. 8 Niko Hrdy defeated Tom McKay 9-4, 9-3, 9-4 for the third Harvard win. Princeton No. 5 Santiago Imberton, who was rested yesterday while still feeling the effects of a marathon loss the weekend earlier to Eduardo Pereira, dropped only eight points in a victory over Mihir Seth.
That set the stage for the dramatic final hour, where either team was only two matches away from the victory. The highlight match appeared to be on the main court, where 2006 national finalist Siddharth Suchde faced off against Princeton's current top-ranked player, Mauricio Sanchez. The potential classic turned out to be another Sanchez showcase, as the Tiger sophomore made quick work of Suchde in a 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 win. Sanchez has yet to drop a single game at No. 1 throughout the entire season.
Princeton needed one win to clinch the match, and senior Michael Gilman was ready to pull out the win of his career. A steady presence in the varsity lineup throughout his career, he pulled out the biggest win in his four years when the team needed it most. Facing Verdi DiSesa, who defeated Gilman two weeks earlier, the Tiger senior pulled out a 9-5, 9-8, 9-6 win to send Princeton to the finals. Harvard added its fourth win when Jason Delierre defeated Vincent Yu in four games.
Princeton will face eight-time defending champion Trinity, which topped Yale 8-1 in the second semifinal. The Bantams are undefeated this season and have been considered the heavy favorite to win a ninth title since the season began. Trinity defeated Princeton 7-2 last weekend, and that was with David Canner still in the lineup.
"It would be a difficult match for us," Callahan said about the potential matchup with Trinity. "They're a terrific team, but our guys are focused and excited to be here. We'll come out tomorrow and give it our best shot. We're playing well right now, and we won't simply be satisfied to get here. We want to win it, and we'll play that way."
1 - Mauricio Sanchez (P) d. Siddharth Suchde 9-2, 9-3, 9-0
2 - Ilan Oren (H) d. Hesham El Halaby 9-3, 9-0, 9-5
3 - Kimlee Wong (P) d. Colin West 9-2, 9-4, 9-5
4 - Jason Delierre (H) d. Vincent Yu 6-9, 9-3, 9-4, 10-9
5 - Santiago Imberton (P) d. Mihir Seth 9-3, 9-2, 9-3
6 - Garnett Booth (H) d. Preston Comey 5-9, 9-4, 9-2, 9-4
7 - Michael Gilman (P) d. Verdi DiSesa 9-5, 9-8, 9-6
8 - Niko Hrdy (H) d. Tom McKay 9-4, 9-3, 9-4
9 - Parker Sutton (P) d. Todd Ostrow 9-4, 9-6, 4-9, 9-0, 9-6