Two of the "Little Three" are coming to town, but that doesn't mean the men's squash team is hosting vertically-challenged squads.
After a six-week break, the Quakers will face Amherst and Williams - who along with Wesleyan make up the "Little Three" of New England elite colleges.
No. 7 Penn begins the day at Ringe Courts against the 15th-ranked Lord Jeffs before hosting the No. 10 Ephs in the afternoon. The Quakers are looking towards these lower-ranked teams as an opportunity to get back into match mode after the extensive hiatus.
"These two matches are definite possible wins for us," senior co-captain Parker Justi said. ". These matches will be great to shake off that rust and get back into our playing form from before the break."
But the Quakers (3-2) are not too concerned about starting the second half of the season on a shaky note. While Justi emphasized the importance of break as a time to refresh mentally, others noted that resting helped to heal the team's minor injuries.
The team has also been practicing at Ringe for over a week, and the players believe they are back at the top of their games.
"I think getting well-rested was really important for us," sophomore Will Browne said. "We've been back for a full week now, so I think most of the rust is gone. Everybody's hitting the ball pretty well."
But if the Quakers do need a few matches to ease their way back, their upcoming showdowns should provide it. The Ephs (4-4) should prove to be the tougher of the two, due to their deep lineup, but they have struggled against Ivy teams this season, dropping matches to Harvard, Princeton and Yale (who ironically make up the "Big Three.")
Penn should not break much of a sweat against the Jeffs (3-4) either, who have won only one flight against the Red and Blue in the last five years. That victory came last year at the expense of an injured Mark Froot, now at the No. 1 spot for the Quakers.
But even though victories may seem likely this weekend, the Quakers recognize the upcoming matches as an opportunity for some strong preparation before a tough home stretch that looms ahead. With powerhouses Trinity and Princeton on tap before the end of the month, even a "little" momentum and confidence boost could do wonders.
