M. Squash halts losing streak with trio of wins
It is not often that three matches, all against teams in the top 25 of the nation, can be seen as an easy day, but the challenging schedule of the Penn men's squash team created just that scenario this weekend.
Entering the day with a three-game losing streak against three of the top four teams in the nation, the Quakers went back to their winning ways on Saturday in their final home match of the season. Using a host of players and a variety of lineups, the Quakers (8-5, 1-3 Ivy) defeated No. 18 George Washington, No. 22 Rochester and No. 12 Franklin & Marshall in convincing fashion.
The Red and Blue defeated George Washington, 9-0, surrendering only one game. Jacob Himmelrich played a strong match at No. 1 against the Colonials' Gregory Vernick, winning 3-0.
In the second match of the day, the Quakers reshuffled their lineup, but were able to come away with a victory over Rochester, 8-1. Against the Yellow Jackets, Colby Emerson took over duties at the No. 1 position and didn't disappoint, earning a 3-0 victory over Allen Fitzsimmons.
For the third and final match of the day, the Quakers returned to their standard starting lineup, leading to an emphatic 9-0 win over the Diplomats. Gilly Lane was his usual self, overcoming Mihir Kapoor, 3-0, at the No. 1 position. In the preseason rankings, Kapoor was listed as the No. 17 player in intercollegiate squash. Senior Matt Vergare closed out his career at the Ringe Courts with a 3-0 win at the No. 9 position.
Up next for the Quakers is a trip to Boston on Saturday, where they will battle Harvard.
-- Jason Reefer
Track Men, Women nab wins at road meets
Both the men's and women's track teams competed this weekend in meets on the road. The men visited State College, Pa., to compete in the National Open, while the women traveled to Boston to take part in the Terrier Classic.
The highest any of the men finished on the weekend was fifth place. Freshman Courtney Jaworski placed fifth in the 800-meter run, junior Neal Wojdowski took fifth in the pole vault and junior Chris Carter finished in fifth in the heptathalon.
The women yielded 11 top-10 finishes while in Boston. The distance medley relay team of seniors Kim Milans, Susan Eisenberg, Emily Logan and junior Anna-Marie Allander took home Penn's only first-place finish.
-- Ryan Howard
W. Soccer's Cross, Watson earn All-Region honors
Junior Katy Cross should be used to postseason recognition by now. The forward was recently named to soccerbuzz.com's first-team All-Region squad.
Teammate Robin Watson also received a nod to the third team.
Cross has been named first-team All-Ivy, first-team Verizon Academic All-America and second-team All-Mid-Atlantic Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America so far this postseason.
The Claremont, Calif., native led the Quakers and the Ivy League in points and goals, with 38 and 16, respectively. Cross also ranked 11th in Division I in points per game with 2.24 last season.
Watson was also named first-team All-Ivy in 2003, after starting all 17 contests for the Red and Blue.
-- Jeff Shafer
