M. Squash | Penn vs. fitness freaks

The semiannual Fitness Readiness Test at the Naval Academy mandates a minimum of 40 push-ups in two minutes, 65 sit-ups in two minutes and a 1.5 mile run under ten and a half minutes.

It's no surprise, then, that the men's squash team from Annapolis, Md., has been keeping in shape.

Entering tonight's match against No. 7 Penn (1-1), the No. 12 Midshipmen have racked up 17 matches - and 16 wins - in the last six weeks.

"Navy plays probably more matches than anyone else in the [College Squash Association]," Coach Craig Thorpe-Clark said. "They're always certainly fit."

But fitness doesn't always lead to success. No. 9 Dartmouth, Navy's last opponent with a higher ranking, put a 9-0 beating on the Midshipmen for their first loss of the season.

And all the running in the world can't substitute for ability. Just ask Quakers senior Bobby Dickey whose squad hasn't lost to Navy in his collegiate career - and isn't planning on it now.

"One of their weaknesses is just not having enough raw talent," Dickey said. "Compared to our team, we have a lot more natural talent than they do."

The Quakers haven't exactly been twiddling their thumbs the last two months, either.

Training and captain's practices might not count towards the win-loss record, but they do take a physical toll - clearly Thanksgiving break was a welcome respite from two consecutive months of squash.

Since the Red and Blue split a two-match weekend with Cornell and Middlebury before Thanksgiving, they have dealt with several nagging injuries including rolled ankles, sprained hands and sore feet - "nibbling things," as Thorpe-Clark called them.

They are "the normal injuries, but they all kind of happened at one time, which sucks," Dickey said.

Thorpe-Clark also noted that his starting nine might change to accommodate recovery as Penn has two road matches this weekend.

Although Penn is ranked five spots ahead of Navy, Thorpe-Clark will not take any chances.

"The rankings are just rankings," the eighth-year coach said. "We're playing the best team we can play [tonight]."

Even if it's a bit nicked up, Penn should only be challenged by Navy's No. 1, Nils Mattsson.

The junior has trained in Europe the last two offseasons and has personal reasons for playing well against the Quakers: His younger brother, Thomas, is a freshman for Penn.

While the two will not face off, tonight's match could be the dawn of a new sibling rivalry.

In all likelihood, the Quakers will bounce back from their loss to Cornell by beating the Midshipmen soundly - again.

"We're looking forward to getting out and righting the ship," Thorpe-Clark said.

Pun intended.

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