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Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Squash Teams Resume Season With Ivy Showdown At Penn
January 25, 2010 | Men's Squash, Women's Squash
The men's and women's squash teams will make the short trip south to Philadelphia to resume their 2009-10 seasons this Wednesday night at Penn. Both teams will look to remain undefeated in the Ivy League as they return from a seven-week break.
The doubleheader will begin at 5 p.m. as the seventh-ranked Princeton women take on the third-ranked Penn Quakers on the Ringe Squash Courts. The match features each of the last three Ivy League champions, as the winner of this match has gone unbeaten in league play since 2007. That trend would favor the Quakers, as the home team has won this match each season, including a 5-4 win for Penn in 2008.
Penn is an impressive 9-1 this season, although it suffered its first loss of the season this past weekend in a 5-4 loss to No. 2 Trinity. The Quakers won their four matches around the middle of the ladder, but a 3-0 edge for Trinity at the top three spots and close wins at No. 5 and No. 9 were enough to keep Trinity undefeated. Penn is again led by senior Kristen Lange, a three-time CSA national individual finalist and the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year.
The Princeton women's squash team is the three-time reigning Howe Cup national champion and the defending Ivy League champion, but it fell to No. 7 in the national poll when an injury-depleted lineup fell to Stanford in the season opener. That same squad pulled out an important 5-4 win over Cornell to start the Ivy League season off on the right foot, and it is hoping for a rested, healthier lineup to show up for Penn. An early highlight this season has been the play of freshman Julie Cerullo, who has played No. 1 while Amanda Siebert was out and is undefeated on the season.
Following the women's match will be a showdown between the fourth-ranked Princeton men and the eighth-ranked Penn men. The Tigers are undefeated in Ivy League play but fell from the No. 2 spot after losing at Rochester 5-4; like the Tiger women, Princeton played that match without three of its top six players. Princeton can't afford a second slip-up in league play if it wants to avoid sitting in the same half as Trinity in the CSA team draw. Head coach Bob Callahan is also hopeful to see more of his full team, including 2009 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Chris Callis.
Penn is 5-4 on the season, including a 9-0 last weekend to No. 1 Trinity.
Princeton is home next weekend for a pair of matches, including crucial Ivy matches against highly ranked Yale teams. Both Bulldog squads are ranked in their respective Top 4, including a men's team currently ranked second nationally.