High drama as W. Squash ends season

For five members of the Penn women's squash team, this past weekend had all the makings of a good drama -- triumph, disappointment, pride and even a little sweet revenge. Penn seniors Helen Bamber, Rina Borromeo, Megan Fuller and Lauren Patrizio, as well as sophomore Runa Reta, traveled to Harvard for the WISA Individual Championships to conclude the 2000-2001 season. Reta, seeded third heading into the tournament, dominated in characteristic fashion, not relinquishing a game to the three opponents she demolished en route to the semifinals. There, she ultimately met her match in Princeton senior Julia Beaver, the two-time defending champion of the tournament. In the only regular-season meeting between the Quakers and the Tigers, Reta was victorious over Beaver by a score of 3-1. It was the first time Beaver had lost a match in more than three seasons. At the Howe Cup (February 16-18), however, Beaver avenged her loss to Reta, winning the match, 3-1. And in their final meeting on Sunday, Beaver took the season series on her way to becoming the tournament champion for the third consecutive year with a final match score of 3-1. "I thought the match was pretty close," Reta said. "She was definitely playing better than when we were at Princeton, maybe because there was more at stake this time. I have to give her credit, though, she definitely played well on the day." Bamber placed 10th after advancing to the Sweet 16 by handily defeating opponents from Cornell and Dartmouth. She eventually lost to Trinity senior Janine Thompson in Bamber's first loss of the season. "[Bamber] has faced Janine three or four times, and this weekend was the best she's played against her," Penn coach Demer Holleran said. "The loss was a little disappointing, but she has nothing to be embarrassed of." Co-captains Borromeo and Patrizio also advanced to the round of 16, where Patrizio defeated Harvard junior Carlin Wing. In her match against Wing during the regular season, Patrizio lost, 3-0. With an opportunity to avenge her loss, Patrizio capitalized, defeating Wing, 3-1. "It was a positive weekend and I'm pretty happy with my results," Patrizio said. "I did better than I was seeded and so I'm glad that I was able to accomplish what was expected of me. And it was nice to get a little revenge." Borromeo, like Bamber, took an undefeated personal record into Intercollegiates, but after winning two matches and reaching the round of 16, lost to the Crimson's No. 1 player, Louisa Hall. After that loss, Borromeo faced Trinity freshman Pam Saunders in her first match of the consolation round. "Rina had an tough draw," Holleran said. "She played as well as she could, like she has done all along." Fuller, competing in her first Intercollegiates ever, was decisively victorious in her first match against Williams' Selma Kikic, 3-0. The Penn senior eventually lost to Bowdoin's Dana Betts. "I think I played pretty well," Fuller said. "I was really focused and I went in with the attitude that this was it and I really had nothing to lose." With the conclusion of the tournament, the Quakers' season officially ends. Penn now must bid farewell to four seniors that comprised one of the most successful classes in squash history. "It's sad because I'll never be on a team like this, with a team as close as we are," Fuller said.

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