Endurance keys Penn win

The women's squash team began the crucial segment of their season in dynamic fashion yesterday, defeating the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats, 8-1. Coach Demer Holleran was pleased by her team's effort, saying, "we were very focused and clearly rose to the occasion." The team recently returned from a 10-day trip to England which, according to senior Captain Liz Fuss, greatly contributed to yesterday's win. "The trip was a good chance to practice and prepare," Fuss said. "The competition was tough in England. We each improved and it showed today." Sophomore No. 2 Elissa Helt, played her best match of the season, winning 3-0 and setting the tone for the Quakers' domination. She felt that the British excursion dramatically improved the team's endurance. According to Helt, the courts were warmer than usual, which helped the well-conditioned Penn team capitalize on the more frenzied, quicker pace of play. "Elissa played a great game," Holleran said. "She was wasn't flustered. She was composed and successfully moved her opponent around the four corners of the court." Yesterday the Quakers began the most vital part of their schedule. With nine games left in the season the Quakers aim to finish strong and place highly in the intercollegiate rankings. Coach Holleran feels seven of the remaining games are winnable. If the team can win those seven games, they can place sixth and best last year's seventh-place finish. "It's a tough road ahead, and this was a good way to start it off," Fuss said. The win showed the continuing improvement of a Penn squad that lost to Franklin & Marshall two years ago and beat them only 6-3 last year. "It was a good match against a tough opponent," said freshman Bridget George. "We played well and came away with a decisive victory." Yesterday was a big day for nearly everyone on the Penn team. Sophomore Katherine Viener won the most hard-fought match, 3-2. The only Quakers loss was a tough one for junior No. 1 Lissa Hunsicker, who lost to Franklin & Marshall's Margo Green 3-1. Green had just come off a victory in the Princeton Invitational, one of the biggest intercollegiate tournaments in the nation, and is the "probable national champion," according to Holleran. Penn's No. 2 through No. 9 players all won, including 3-0 sweeps by Helt, Fuss, George, junior Jennifer Bertocchi and sophomores Abby Hopkins and Kathy Textor. "It was our most solid game so far," Helt said. "It was a big confidence booster and a good way to start off the toughest part of our season."