Squash Teams Start Season with Trio of Victories

Looking to build on a 16-9 finish from a year ago, the 14th-ranked Middlebury men’s squash team opened up its season at the M.I.T. Round Robin Tournament in Boston on Saturday, Nov. 17. The Panthers dismantled a trio of opponents, sweeping M.I.T. and Northeastern 9-0 while only dropping one match to NESCAC foe Wesleyan, the 23rd-ranked team in the country in an 8-1 win.

“It felt really good to get our first matches under our belt this season,” said Spencer Hurst ’13. “I think everyone was happy with how we played and now it’s time to keep the good performances rolling.”

Jay Dolan ’13 played in the top spot on the men’s team for the first time in his Middlebury career, defeating all of his opponents in straight sets. Dolan had no trouble in his match against M.I.T., taking down his Engineer opponent in straight sets: 11-7, 11-2 and 11-2. Against Wesleyan, Dolan won 11-7, 11-6 and 11-9. He followed that with another sweep against Northeastern winning the sets 11-5, 11-2 and 11-3. In fact, the Panther men won all but four of 27 matches in straight sets marking a dominant opening showing for the team.

In the women’s bracket at the M.I.T. tournament, meanwhile, the 11th-ranked women’s team managed a clean sweep with three 9-0 victories. Middlebury defeated Wellesley, Wesleyan and Northeastern. Sophomore Charlotte Dewey ’15 anchored the lineup for the women’s team, competing as the top seed for the first time in her Middlebury career. Dewey dropped just one set in her three matches — the only set lost by any member of the team. After convincing performances last week, both teams now sit at 3-0 in the early going with NESCAC play around the corner.

The men’s team hosts Navy and Drexel this Friday and Sunday while traveling to Dartmouth to play Bowdoin Saturday. The women, meanwhile, play just one match this weekend when they host Drexel on Sunday, Dec. 2.

While both squads have dominated their opposition, they will face tougher competition in the week ahead.

“Everyone played pretty well for our first matches,” said Parker Hurst ’14. “It was a solid way to start of the season but we are going to have a tough weekend with Navy, Bowdoin and Drexel.”

The match with Navy will mark the third time in two years the teams have met. The Panthers and the Midshipmen split the series last year as the Panthers won the regular season meeting 5-4 before Navy exacted its revenge, knocking Middlebury out of team nationals by the same score.

NESCAC play begins in earnest for both the men’s and women’s teams in the new year when both teams travel to Williamstown, Mass. for the Williams Round Robin Tournament on Jan. 5.