Quakers ease by Navy in tune-up

Even after a 9-0 blowout of Navy last night, the Penn men's squash team is showing no signs of complacency. If anything, the easy victory only confirmed what the Quakers (6-1) have been telling themselves since last Friday's upset loss to Williams. "[This match was] recognition that we have to work harder," said Penn coach Ned Edwards, who confirmed that Penn will continue the two-a-day practice schedule it instituted after the Ephs disaster. But the lone blemish on the Quakers' record seemed insignificant as the Quakers rolled over the No. 11 Midshipmen (13-5). The victory was expected, but the ease with which Penn swept Navy was a result of the extra practice sessions scheduled all this week. The extra work paid off as the Quakers only dropped three games among them to the overmatched Midshipmen. "It's nice to get a win after Williams," senior Ed Vincent said. "We've been working hard this week." Seven of the top nine players won 3-0, and No. 9 Rajiv Mehta dropped only a single game. Only Ed Gross, playing in the No. 7 position, was tested as the senior rallied to win the final three games of the match, after dropping the first two. Senior co-captain Andrew Braff, playing in the No. 1 position, decisively defeated Mike Elliot of Navy, 15-7, 15-1, 15-5. "[I was] especially pleased with Andrew Braff's performance," Edwards said. Braff's fellow captain and No. 3 player, senior Craig Rappaport, cruised to an easy victory, 15-9, 15-12, 15-4, over the Midshipmens' Jeremy Orr. "I think we were sharp," he said, attributing the Quakers' success in large part to the extra practice. With Navy safely sunk, the Quakers are now setting their sights on this weekend's match at top-ranked Harvard, where Penn will be a heavy underdog. "It's nice to go into this weekend on a good note," Vincent said.