Trinity preserves unbeaten season with 7-2 win over Princeton

Trinity too strong for Ivy champions

by Bob Callahan, Princeton University Squash

What a great afternoon of squash!

A match for the National Championship on the final day of the regular season between two unbeaten teams! Princeton-Trinity, with the winner earning the title, National Squash Champion.

The stage was set...four hundred excited fans, tons of Princeton squash alumni, great University support, and two very excited teams.

I wish I could tell you Princeton won and the dream season continued, but Trinity was too good and prevailed 7-2. I was very proud of our team, but Trinity is better. We played very well with lots of heart and great effort, but we couldn't match their talent. At one point early on it even looked like we might have a chance to pull an upset! David Yik at #2 was leading 1-0, Eric Pearson at #4, was 1-1; and Dan Rutherford at #6 was ahead 2-0!

For a brief moment I was calculating how we might even win this one! But as always, when you start thinking too far ahead, the world caves in. It did today too, as Trinity came back to win at #2 and #4. Happily, Danny Rutherford held on to win 3-0 at #6.

Yik and Cowie: A great rivalry

As the second shift of matches went on court, everyone waited anxiously for the match of the season to begin, Princeton's defending Intercollegiate Singles Champion Peter Yik and Trinity's 1997 and 1998 Intercollegiate Champion Marcus Cowie. A match between the two dominant players of the past four years. The crowd was not to be disappointed! Peter lost a close first game 15-12, but came roaring back to take the second game 15-13. Marcus again took the lead by winning the third game 15-10, but Peter responded by winning the fourth 15-8. It couldn't be closer or more exciting as the best players in the country came out to begin the fifth game! Marcus took the early lead 5-3, Peter came back to lead 12-7 as Marcus looked like he was tiring. One thing I have learned is to never bet against Marcus Cowie as he rebounded from 10-14 to tie it up 14-14! Peter took a deep breath and went on to win the last three points and take the match 17-14!

Fans applaud excellent squash

The huge crowd rose to their feet to give both players a standing ovation for what many in attendance considered to be the best squash match they had ever seen. After Peter Yik's match ended, the team met and pledged to do all they could to reach the finals of next weekend's National end of year Team Championship at Yale. We will most likely play Harvard on Saturday and if we win, a rematch with Trinity in the finals on Sunday.