Peter Yik - 2001 College Champion (photo © 2003 Vaughn Winchell)

They rolled over Oxford University 10-2, even though that famed institute of
learning brought in three ringers to help them beef up their squad. At number one was Peter Yik, a former Princeton number one who is now working
in London. He was too ancient in limb for the present incumbent of the
number one spot, Yasser El Halaby, who took a straight games win.

On to Cambridge University the next day, after a morning training at
Connaught Club, the hallowed home of Peter Nicol and a whlole list of top
PSA players, where Neil Harvey holds court. (Harvey spends two weeks each
summer at the Princeton clinics, hence the connection). Cambridge was a
breeze, the tourists winning 10-1. (Both number two¹s were injured.)

El Halaby - 2003 College Champion (photo © 2003 Ron Beck)

Redbridge was a short ride away from their hotel, but a lot tougher,
fielding some very experienced players such as Ian Higgins, who played for England juniors at the world champs in Princeton in '98. Once again the
Tigers acquitted themselves admirably by coming away with a 6-6 draw.

On to Bishops Stortford to face another very strong lineup with the 7-5 victory being secured by Princeton number five Nate Beck who faced Carla Khan, the London-born grand-daughter of the great Azam Khan, who many experts thought to be a better player than his brother Hashim. Carla now plays under the Pakistani flag and is heading towards the top 20 following a recent WISPA tour win. After a tremendous battle Beck won 10-8 in the fifth coming back from 5-8 down.

On Thursday night they were at the "home" club against a team that Neil Harvey thought would be too tough for the Americans and predicted a Connaught victory. It certainly started that way when Laurence Anjema of the Netherlands, who is being coached by Harvey, took El Halaby apart for the loss of six points.

Nate Beck evened things with a careful 3/1 victory over the Connaught
number six. Things really got moving with action on four courts at the same
time, causing Callahan to be in constant motion as he tried to video some
matches and keep an eye on all matches at the same time.

The longest match featured Callahan¹s son Tim who, despite a sore neck,
almost rallied from 1/2 down to topple Elise Ng the Hong Kong number two, losing 9-7 in the fifth, a hard-nosed battle for someone who could barely turn his neck.

At number 12, co-captain Will Osnato faced a bearded 50 year old. The bearded one, known for some histrionics in masters division play, but now a little more
mature, had a real see-saw battle, winning the fourth 9-0 but surprised by
the Princetonian¹s resilience in coming back to win the fifth 9-3 and
maintain his unbeaten record on the tour. In fact the Princeton numbers
9-12 had all maintained a winning record, which shows that you can have
stars at the top but it is strength in depth that wins matches.

Dent Wilkins, playing at two was one-and-one until the Connaught match
where he met Jason Friend, the club champion for the last 11 years. A former
soccer player, Friend, with legs like oaks, was several classes above
Wilkins and was just too good in every part of the court. Wilkins lost the
first game 0-9 and second 2-9, but came out for the third hitting tighter
balls and managed a respectable five points before Friend took the final
point. Meanwhile Nate Beck went back on court to play and beat another
Connaught member which is why when the sweat and dust had cleared, Princeton
had won 9-4 to maintain their unbeaten record.

This was a new experience for the tourists: none of them had ever played
five competitive matches in five days against five completely different
opponents, players who all did different things with the ball. All the
Tigers I spoke to agreed that they would go home better players and that it
had been a huge learning experience.

Co-captain Dent, who has jumped up the Princeton order to number two, is going to have a hard season ahead. He lapped up the experience here despite his defeats.

"The biggest impression is how much higher the standard in the clubs is
here," he told SquashTalk. "They are strong one-through-twelve whereas
inthe city of Philadelphia you have just three or four good players in the
city and then the level drops off." Of his match tonight he said :
" I learnt to keep the ball away from the racket of players who can hit
nicks like that, On the trips we have learnt so much, working on new things
every day. The European players are more inventiv ewith their shots whereas
the Americans are taught to play these mechanical games of attrition."

Preston Comey, Princeton number nine, with five wins from five matches, was
enjoying the tour immensely. He even liked the British food (??).

"I¹ve had two four-gamers and a five-gamer and that was really tough. It was
a great match and it was really rewarding to win. I¹ve been enjoying the
morning training sessions, working on new things. I¹m learning to arc, go
down the centre of the court so I don¹t crowd myself against the wall. I
now square my shoulders to the wall and I¹m hitting length with less effort.
I will definitely go home a better player," he said.

Michael Gilman number four from Atlanta, has notched up two wins out of
five but said he really enjoyed playing a different player every day.
" Playing the same guys since I was junior, you get to know everybody¹s game.
Here I really had to be on my toes. I¹ve been working on moving up the
court, a foot up on the T which gives me a better angle to volley, so it
gives me options on my direction."

It was time to eat and a mountain of drumsticks, baked pototoes, curry,
bread, salad and cheese soon disappeared as two dozen young squash player
sat down to load the carbs.

Lambs club in the heart of London would be their last challenge before
getting on a plane and hoping that the newly acquired skills will help them
to beat Yale, Harvard and yes, why not, Trinity.