The Dartmouth women's squash team concluded a solid 2003-2004 campaign with a sixth place showing at the Howe Cup in New Haven, Conn. this past weekend. Though the Big Green won only one of three matches they played, Saturday's 6-3 defeat of Brown ensured that Dartmouth would retain at least its No. 6 national ranking.
Dartmouth's toughest match over the three-day competition was its opening round showdown with Princeton. Perhaps weary from a long day on the team bus with Coach John Power, the Big Green faltered under the Friday night lights, dropping a quick 9-0 decision to the Tigers.
For Dartmouth, Heather Lisle '07, playing in the No. 9 position, was able to push her match to four games before falling. The Big Green's top player, Julia Drury '06, also put up a tough fight, but lost in three hard-fought games to Princeton's Clair Rein-Weston.
With the loss to Princeton behind them, Dartmouth entered play on Saturday needing a strong performance against No. 7 Brown. The Big Green had already scored a 6-3 triumph against the Bears Feb. 1 in Hanover, but co-captain Crosby Haynes '04 was quick to warn her charges that the intensity of postseason squash often renders past history meaningless.
"Crosby inspired us with animating and encouraging exhortations," said Jessica Tory '06. "Naturally, we were loath to disappoint our well-loved captain."
The team's fervor to excel was evident immediately, as the Big Green burst from the gate with four victories in its first six matches. Haynes and Lisle both won in four games for Dartmouth, while Tory and Avery Eyre '07 needed only three games apiece.
Needing only one victory in their final three matches to retain their No. 6 ranking, Coach Power turned to his stalwart junior tandem of Matha Ucko and Kelly Sennatt for the clincher. Both women won in four games, providing the final margin of victory for the Big Green.
The rousing defeat of Brown gave Dartmouth the chance to climb into fifth place overall in the tournament. In the fifth place match, the women squared off against the Quakers of Pennsylvania, eager to avenge the 6-3 loss suffered at Penn's hands on Feb. 8.
Tory and Lisle again scored victories for Dartmouth, while Drury followed suit in the No. 1 slot. Ucko, who had missed the Feb. 8 confrontation with the Quakers because of a concussion, proved she was back in form, giving Dartmouth its fourth win.
Unfortunately for Dartmouth, the clincher was harder to come by. It initially appeared as though Emily Mackie '07 would have the best shot at victory, but Mackie was slowed by shin splints after jumping out to a quick 1-0 lead. Haynes, Sennatt, Eyre and Jessica Vyrostko '06 also lost, and the final tally came out in Penn's favor by a slim 5-4 margin.
After the match, Eyre was eager to reflect on her first year of intercollegiate competition.
"Fifth place would have been dynamite," Eyre said, "but I'm still proud of our play. With most of the girls returning next year, I really think we'll soar to new heights in 2005."
Assistant Coach Heath concurred with Eyre's analysis, noting that the team will graduate only one senior, Haynes, from the starting lineup.
"The season ends, like so many other wonderful things, in New Haven," Heath added. "But we're proud of this year's results, and we've much hope for continued betterment next season."
With the women's team now finished for the season, the final team competition for Big Green Squash this season will come when the men head to New Haven this weekend for the men's Howe Cup. The team will enter play ranked No. 5 nationally.
