M. Squash returns to action against Diplomats

The Quakers host Franklin and Marshall in their first meet since January 26. A light-hearted atmosphere prevailed at the Ringe Squash Courts yesterday afternoon as the Penn men's squash team prepared for today's match against Franklin and Marshall. The Quakers took team photos and went through some light drills in practice, but -- relaxed mood aside -- they are certainly ready for today's match with the visiting Diplomats. Franklin and Marshall, led by eighth-year coach John Stallings, has a record of 7-6 and is currently ranked No. 13 in the nation. The Diplomats are paced by their No. 1 and No. 2 players, Ajun Krishnan and Jamshid Pandole, both of whom hail from India. Co-captain Pandole owns the fourth-best record (75-31) in Diplomats history. The Diplomats, who have four freshmen on their roster, are looking to rebound after a 6-3 loss to Cornell on Saturday that snapped a four-match winning streak. The Quakers (2-6), who enter the match ranked No. 15 after a loss to undefeated Princeton, have a positive outlook for today's match and for their prospects as the season winds down. In a season of setbacks, the Quakers have managed to stay focused on their goals and to come together as a team. "Our team is stronger than its performances have proved," Penn coach Craig Thorpe-Clark said. "The competition is always a highly ranked team, but we have a terrific work ethic, we've been training hard and I feel we're headed in the right direction." The bottom portion of Penn's nine could be its biggest asset today. "The bottom six match up in our favor," co-captain Peter Withstandley said. "The top three will be tough, but the match could be in our favor." The Quakers are also looking to fine-tune in preparation for the stretch. They face No. 1 Harvard and Dartmouth next before heading into tournament play at the Team Championships and Individuals. Penn freshman Sam Miller, a solid middle-of-the-lineup performer for the Quakers this season, knows that while the Red and Blue have dropped some close matches lately, those are the types of contests that can swing in their favor at a moment's notice. "We're keeping our heads up after a few close matches," Miller said. "We've had some time to work on our fitness, and anyone in our lineup has a chance to win." The opportunity to fine-tune their games for the season-ending matches has all of the Quakers focused on today's match with the Diplomats. "We're all excited about [today]," said Ritesh Tilani, who mustered the lone game victory for the Quakers against Princeton last week. "We have a full lineup and great team unity right now. We should do well." Thorpe-Clark would love to see the Quakers carry over the positive attitude and competitiveness that they displayed against Princeton. "We're headed in the right direction," Thorpe-Clark said. "We want to stay positive, compete for every point and play every point like it's match point." That is precisely what Penn did against the Tigers. It's what they plan to do today against the Diplomats. And it's what they hope to do against the Crimson and Big Green.