M. Squash | Cornell tough, Middlebury not

The Quakers know exactly what's in store at Ringe Courts on Saturday.

"Cornell's going to be a really, really tough match," senior Joey Raho said. "Middlebury should be very, very easy."

The Big Red arrive in Philadelphia on the heels of an impressive preseason, barely losing to perennial powerhouse Yale, 5-4, and downing Harvard and Penn.

Cornell also leapfrogged the Quakers in the rankings this year, landing at No. 6 in the nation.

And even though the Big Red have been blown out in their previous two visits to Ringe, 9-0 and 7-2, Penn lost, 5-4, on its last trip to Ithaca, N.Y.

Expect a close one this time around.

"It's going to come down to the last three matches that go on," Penn coach Craig Thorpe-Clark said. "By that time, the match will still be hanging in the balance."

Clark would not reveal his starting nine, but it seems junior Mark Froot will land the top spot.

Last season's No. 1 Lee Rosen graduated after an all-Ivy senior campaign as co-captain of the Red and Blue.

Froot played out of the No. 2 and No. 3 positions last season and will likely match up with junior Chris Sachvie of the Big Red. Sachvie is Cornell's reigning Most Valuable Player, reaching a No. 11 individual national ranking last year.

In their second match of the day, the Quakers take on a young Middlebury squad.

Penn doesn't know much about the team out of the New England Small College Athletic Conference, but scouting in squash is a bit different than in other sports.

"In squash, usually you kind of know the teams that are up and coming," Raho said. "Middlebury could come in here and be really great, but I doubt it."

Thorpe-Clark plans to mix his lineup a bit in the afternoon contest, noting that two matches in a day can be grueling.

The Panthers are coming off a 6-3 victory over fellow NESCAC member Hamilton, and will play again tonight at Columbia.

Cornell also plays this evening at Franklin and Marshall in Lancaster, Pa.

When asked if his opponents' matches tonight might affect their performance on Saturday, Clark didn't hesitate.

"Oh, I certainly hope so," he said.

At any rate, the Quakers will need more than a split to consider this weekend a success - if they want to move up in the rankings, that is.

Facing a Middlebury team lacking depth, Penn will put its focus on Cornell in hopes of handing the Big Red a big disappointment.

"I think the match is going to be a little tougher than they expect," said Clark. "We all plan for it to be a little tougher than they expect."

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