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Princeton University Athletics
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Top-Four Programs Set For Men's Squash Showdown In Rochester
January 06, 2012 | Men's Squash
For years, the best matches of the men's squash season came in February. While next month will still see both the Ivy League and national champion get crowned, the third-ranked Princeton men's squash team is about to embark on a critical eight-day stretch.
Princeton (5-0) will begin the 2012 portion of its schedule Sunday at 1 p.m. when it takes on the fourth-ranked Rochester Yellowjackets (4-0). Princeton has beaten Rochester in each of their last three meetings, including twice last season, but the Yellowjackets scored a 5-4 win the last time the two teams met in Rochester.
Since then, Princeton scored an 8-1 home win during the 2010-11 regular season and a pair of wins in the CSA team championship third-place match. Last year's final matchup was a thriller, with Princeton prevailing 5-4 thanks to late wins from current junior Todd Harrity and senior co-captain Kelly Shannon.
Princeton could see the return of senior David Pena, who studied abroad during the fall and has returned to campus. Pena, a four-year starter for Princeton, is one of four seniors who are expected to have a big impact throughout the season. Pena and Shannon join co-captain Chris Callis and Clay Blackiston; the latter rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third-place match last season to score a key win at No. 8.
Following Sunday's Rochester match, Princeton will prepare for its first full Ivy League weekend when it heads to Dartmouth and Harvard Jan. 14-15. This match has typically been played in February, but with the addition of a varsity program at Columbia, the Ivy League schedule has undergone changes. The Crimson is one of the hottest teams this season; it will enter next weekend with a 9-0 record and an impressive 80 wins in 81 individual matches.