Williams and Amherst colleges defeated the Penn men's squash team by identical 7-2 scores. The Penn men's squash team traveled to Massachusetts last weekend to face off against two teams who were ranked in the top 10 at the end of last season. The trip gave the Quakers the long-awaited chance to establish themselves as a legitimate national contender in collegiate squash. In the midst of a two-week stretch in which they will play six times, Friday's match-up against Williams College and Saturday's match versus Amherst College stood as two tests that had vital implications for Penn's championship hopes. When all was said and done, the weekend left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Quakers and could be characterized as a squandered opportunity. Penn (3-4, 2-1) took to the road to face Williams with high expectations and was driven to avenge last season's embarrassing 8-1 loss at the hands of the Ephs. Unfortunately for the Quakers, the men from Williams had other ideas and crushed Penn 7-2. Penn's victories came courtesy of senior Nilay Mehta, who beat Adrian Marshall in straight sets, and freshman Peter Withstanley, who made easy work of Sam French, 3-0. The Quakers' top two players, Chuck Braff and Juan Dominguez, were able to grab two sets apiece in their losses, but the remainder of the lineup limped away quietly in straight set defeats. "Williams played hard and we just came out flat following a long trip," said Quaker coach Jim Masland. "There were one or two turning points during the match, and at this point we are learning how to play during those critical points." Saturday brought the Quakers a new day and a chance for redemption in the form of the Amherst Lord Jeffs (4-1). The results were the same, though, as Penn lost by the identical 7-2 score that it suffered the previous evening. Mehta again won his match, 3-2 over Evan Khan. Senior Trey Fitzpatrick joined him in the winner's bracket, defeating Perry Pickert, 3-1. Fitzpatrick stepped into the lineup spot vacated by senior co-captain Tim Filla, who is out for the season with a broken foot. Dominguez fought hard to take two sets from his opponent, Kevin Orphan, while Penn's other six players lost 3-0. "What we realized from this weekend was that going in, we still had not fully adjusted from Christmas break," Dominguez said. Despite the on-court disappointment, the Quakers were able to learn about themselves as a team from the weekend. "Following the two losses, we have found the focus and concentration that was missing and were able to get ourselves in match shape not only physically, but mentally," said Mehta. "The team is much more cohesive." Mehta's performance coming off a difficult loss versus Franklin and Marshall was one of the lone bright spots for the Quakers in an otherwise dim trip. Mehta took a modest approach toward his play, attributing his success to confidence and a change in attitude. "I went into both matches feeling that I could win," said Mehta. "The key was remaining mentally tough because I knew I had the physical fitness to out last my opponent." With upcoming matches against Harvard, Dartmouth, and Princeton, there are other opportunities for the Quakers to redeem themselves. Unless Penn can find a level of success against their Ivy foes though, in the scope of the season, last weekend could be looked at as "the one that got away."
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