Squash teams face challenges

W. Squash works toward Howe The countdown to the Howe Cup continues this weekend. The Penn women's squash team will attempt to secure a bid in the top bracket by beating Dartmouth Sunday. But before that match, when the Quakers play Harvard tomorrow, the Howe Cup will be the furthest thing from their minds. "If we win some matches against Harvard, that would be impressive," senior Aimee La Gorce said of the top-seeded Crimson. "We'll give it our best, but Harvard is a really tough team," freshman Jill Viola said. Although Harvard has the best women's squash program in the country, the Dartmouth match will be the most crucial because a victory would practically guarantee a bid to the first bracket in the Howe Cup. "We need to focus on Dartmouth because we beat Dartmouth 5-4 in the Ivy scrimmages," La Gorce said. "We're a lot better than we were in the beginning of the year. That was exemplified by our 6-3 win over Franklin & Marshall." Freshman Elissa Helt echoed La Gorce's beliefs. "I think we're playing really well," Helt said. "We beat F&M; for the first time in a few years. I think we have a really good chance of beating Dartmouth." Although the Quakers know they have a "really good chance of beating Dartmouth," they have not taken anything for granted. "We've been focusing on keeping in shape and working on mental drills," Helt said. "We were playing [practice matches] like we were down by five points and what we would do, and if we were up by five what we'd do. If you're up by five, you can be a little risky. If you're down by five, you go for the sure shots, nothing complicated." Viola believes with a lot of strategy and effort, the Quakers may reign victorious. "I think if people continue playing the way they have been and sticking it out through the long matches, then we'll do well," Viola said. Indeed, the Quakers will "stick it out" as they continue their quest to be recognized as one of the top teams in women's squash. They will take their desire to play in the top bracket of the Howe Cup into this weekend as they battle two of the toughest teams in the country.