SPORTS: Men?s squash falls to Rochester

By Macy Ferguson

Published on Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The Big Green men?s squash team put up a good fight against the University of Rochester squad on Jan. 27 at the Lyman Squash Center in Rochester, N.Y. Though the Yellowjackets (8-5, 4-0 Liberty League) came out on top with a final score of 4-5, the Big Green men (5-5, 1-2 Ivy League) were happy with the overall quality of the match.

?We went out and tried our best and actually had a very good day,? head coach Hansi Wiens said.

The No. 8 Big Green knew beforehand that the No. 5 Yellowjackets was the dominant opponent.

?We were the underdogs and didn?t expect to win,? Kyle Martino ?16 said.

Martino contributed to the men?s score, beating Rochester senior Oscar Lopez 3-1.

Martino attributes his win to his ability to outlast his opponent on the court, and said he has focused on conditioning and building endurance.

?It was a combination of just focusing on what I needed to do and applying my training,? Martino said.

The Yellowjackets were ahead throughout the match, but the Big Green made sure the win did not come easily.

?Unfortunately we couldn?t pull off the win, but it was cool to see us get so close to beating a higher-ranked team,? co-captain Chris Hanson ?13 said.

Hanson put up points for the Big Green by defeating his opponent, senior Andres Duany, 3-1. Though Hanson lost his first game, he overtook Duany in the remaining three and clinched the win.

?My opponent made some mistakes at critical moments,? Hanson said. ?But I went out with the right game plan and executed it.?

The top eight nationally ranked squash teams are all positioned quite close, so each match carries different expectations of play, Wiens said.

?The closer and closer to higher ranked teams, it more so just depends on the day?s playing,? Wiens said.

Because the Big Green was already ranked below the Yellowjackets, the match?s outcome did not alter Dartmouth?s ranking.

?They?re all very tough players so the close match was a testament to how hard we?ve been working,? Hanson said.

Hanson said he tries to encourage his teammates throughout the match.

?It?s tough trying to watch your teammates play while trying to prepare for your own match,? Hanson said.

Wiens encouraged his team to fight with all their strength and to make the Yellowjackets work as hard as they possibly could.

?I tell my players to be proud to be on the court and keep your chin up,? Wiens said.

Wiens started preparing for the team?s matches next weekend against Cornell University and Columbia University on the bus ride back from Rochester, and spoke to the players about their individual matches and what they need to improve.

?We lost 5-4, but it looks like we?re on the right track,? Wiens said.

The Big Green will concentrate on their mental game and focus on endurance, rather than each individual point. To prepare for upcoming matches against No. 6 Cornell (11-2, 2-1 Ivy League) and No. 10 Columbia (6-5, 1-2 Ivy League), players will watch recordings of the Rochester match.

Martino said he wants to work on technical aspects, such as knowing where to be and how to move on the court more efficiently.

?I?m going to remind the guys over and over to put in hard work and trust in that,? Hanson said.

Although Cornell will be a tough opponent, the men look forward to playing the Big Red. They expect Columbia will be less of a challenge, for Dartmouth has consistently beat them in past years.

?They have some strong players, but I believe we?re stronger,? Wiens said.

The Big Green seeks to move up in the rankings after next weekend?s matches, Martino said.

If Dartmouth can overcome the Big Red, the men?s team may move up to a seventh-place ranking. The team aims to stay in the top eight to ensure a place at the College Squash Association?s National Championships.

?We?re pretty much set in the top eight,? Hanson said.

The Big Green will play Cornell at 12 p.m. on Saturday and Columbia at 12 p.m. on Sunday at the Berry Squash Center.

?It?s going to be our big weekend at home so it would be great to see a lot of support from our fans here,? Hanson said.

Source: http://thedartmouth.com/2013/01/30/sports/squash/

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