W. Squash | seniors come back - again

Exceeding expectations has been a familiar theme for the seniors on the women's squash team.

When they started as freshmen, they joined a team that was coming off a 5-7 season and was an afterthought in Ivy League competition. Over their four-year careers, the squad compiled a combined 44-10 record (20-9 Ivy) and emerged as one of the most formidable threats in the nation.

In their final regular-season game and their last at Ringe Courts, the seniors overcame one final challenge. After a devastating loss, 7-2, to Harvard Saturday, the Quakers recovered yesterday against Dartmouth and cruised to an 8-1 victory.

"The seniors are largely responsible for Penn's resurgence in the last five years," coach Jack Wyant said. "When they started we were fifth in the rankings, and then we climbed to third and then to second. This year we will finish second in the regular season, and who knows how we will do in the postseason."

That second-place finish, though, was in jeopardy after the loss to Harvard (7-1, 4-1 Ivy) Saturday. Although the Crimson entered the game as underdogs, they had just beaten No. 3 Trinity and were looking to capitalize on their momentum.

The rivalry between Harvard and Penn (9-2, 4-2) has emerged as one of the most competitive rivalries in the Ivy League. Two years ago, the Crimson beat the Quakers in the postseason, while Penn won the teams' sole meeting last year. This year's showing featured five matches that lasted the maximum five sets and ultimately proved to be the deciding factor.

"We had a couple of matches at the top of the ladder that went Harvard's way, namely with Sydney Scott and Alisha Turner at No. 2 and No. 3, [respectively]" Wyant said. "I would hope that if we have another chance to play Harvard, we could reverse those results.

Against Dartmouth (7-6, 0-4 Ivy), the Quakers handled their opponents soundly. The first seven matches on the ladder were decided in three sets, all in the Quakers' favor.

"The girls came out and played their game and took control of every point. We had the confidence to win and it showed," said senior captain Emily Goodwin, who missed both matches with a knee injury sustained against Princeton. "We are proof that if you work hard and you do your best to achieve what you want to achieve, you can do it."

In her final home game, senior Anita Sellers turned in one of her most inspiring performances of the season, despite eventually losing (9-5, 6-9, 6-9, 10-8, 9-1). The match featured several long rallies as Sellers and her opponent, Danielle Fuschetti, traded points deep into a critical fourth-set tiebreaker.

"Anita Sellers really played her heart out." Wyant said, "She is part of a great senior class that has done amazing things in the four years that it has been around."

Unfortunately for the Quakers, that "great" class has played its last match at Ringe. But at least it went out in style.

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