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Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
CSA Singles Tournament
Players Mentioned
Mauricio Sanchez Falls In CSA National Final To 2006 Finalist Siddharth Suchde
March 04, 2007 | Men's Squash
A brilliant sophomore season by Princeton No. 1 player Mauricio Sanchez ended one victory short of a national championship. Playing against 2006 finalist Siddharth Suchde, Sanchez was able to split the first two games and stood two points away from a 2-1 lead, but the Harvard veteran came up with the big points and ran away in the fourth game with his first national title.
Sanchez, looking to become Princeton's 11th national champion ever, reached the finals by dropping only one game during the entire tournament. He knew his opponent well; Suchde had knocked Sanchez out of the 2006 championships with a semifinal win, while Sanchez bounced back with two victories during the 2007 season.
Fresh off his terrific 3-0 win over top-seeded Baset Ashfaq of Trinity, Suchde controlled the action in the opening game and pulled out a long, hard-fought 9-2 win. Points came at a premium, especially with a significant number of lets being called by the referee. Sanchez counter-attacked Suchde as much as possible, but he wasn't able to put away enough points to keep the Crimson senior from making a run of points midway through the game.
Sanchez came out with an increased offensive energy in the second game and began forcing Suchde to the back corners more often. With perpetual energy, Sanchez was able to get to most of Suchde's touch shots, and his new attack was rewarded with a 9-7 win in the second game.
The third game was a battle for control of momentum, and both players played with a sense of urgency. Suchde was able to regain some of his offensive momentum, but Sanchez was able to maintain his own attack for much of the action. The result was a high level of squash, and as both players moved closer to the win, the level of tension rose inside of the Penn gymnasium. Suchde served game ball at 8-6, but Sanchez fought several shots off and ultimately evened the score at 8. Suchde took the serve back immediately and played two strong points, including one shot into the front corner, to clinch a 10-8 win.
Suchde took advantage of the momentum and moved in for the kill. He took an early 2-1 lead in the fourth game, and when Sanchez' drop shots began to falter, Suchde began to roll. He made a big run to get within one point of his first title, and when Sanchez missed another drop into the front corner, the Harvard veteran celebrated his title.
Sanchez will return next season as one of the favorites for the 2008 title, and he will join fellow All-Americas Kimlee Wong and Hesham El Halalby, both of whom were cheering their classmate on Sunday, as Princeton looks to defend its 2007 Ivy League title and challenge Trinity for national dominance.