(updated 14-dec-09 20:59 ) 

TIGERS LOSE NUMBER TWO SPOT THEY HAVE HELD FOR FOUR YEARS

Coach Martin Heath's Rochester Yellowjackets have punctuated a three-year journey to the top ranks of College Squash by beating Ivy League power and perennial National #2 team, Princeton, by a 5-4 score. This reverses last year's results in which the Tigers had beaten Rochester 9-0 and 8-1 in two meetings.

This time around, the Princeton squad was short three of their top-of-the lineup players - with several elite stars out on long term injuries- but this is not to take away from Rochester's win over the very rarely defeated Princeton Tigers, who always come on court well prepared.

Martin Heath, former world #2, and considered one of the most creative and thoughtful members of the pro tour during his playing days, has imparted has style and belief in winning to a diverse group of nine who have had a meteoric rise to the top of college squash, finishing a disappointing tenth place two years ago but elevating themselves to third last year with an extremely impressive win over Yale in the national championships.

Today's win over Princeton is no less important, despite Princeton's being in a "rebuilding" year, after losing their "Three Amigos" star seniors to graduation.

The biggest suprise in the win was Rochester's dominance at the lower ends of the ladder. Rochester had ridden their rise upwards in the rankings via a group of elite players at the top end of their ladder, while teams like Princeton, Trinity and Yale were recognized has having the strength of depth. But it was Princeton's inability to win at the bottom that doomed them in chilly Rochester on this m id December Sunday, when Rochester swept the 7, 8 and 9 positions.

Rochester won consecutive matches at #7 and #4 to clinch a 5-4 victory over Princeton University on Sunday at the Peter Lyman Squash Courts in the Goergen Athletic Center.

The Yellowjackets, ranked third in the current poll of the College Squash Association, posted their most significant victory. Princeton entered the match ranked second in the CSA poll.

Rochester is 4-0 with the win. Princeton is 5-1. Both teams have lengthy layoffs. The Yellowjackets are idle until January 10 when they host Yale University. Princeton is off until January 27, when the Tigers visit Ivy League rival Penn.

The individual winners for Rochester were Jim Bristow at #3, Andres Duany at #4, Will Newnham at #7, Oscar Lopez-Hidalgo at #8, and Joe Chapman at #9. Yohay Wakabayashi won the exhibition match at #10.

Princeton’s victors were Todd Harrity at #1, David Letourneau at #2, Peter Sopher at #5, and Clay Blackiston at #6.

With Princeton trailing, 3-2 in team points (following Lopez-Hidalgo’s four-game win over Steve Harrington (11-13, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5), Letourneau used resilience to pull out a five-game win over Hameed Ahmed at #2.

Ahmed won two tight decisions in the first two games, 13-11 and 11-9. Letourneau reasserted himself in the third game, winning 11-3. In game four, Ahmed opened a 7-1 lead. Letourneau scored seven straight points to lead, 8-7. After Ahmed fashioned a tie at 8-8, Letourneau won three in a row to square the individual games total at 2-2. In the fifth game, the Princeton senior rushed ahead 8-1, only to see Ahmed fight back to 8-7 before Letourneau could close out the victory.

Rochester won a point at #7 with Newnham defeating Nikhil Seth, 11-9, 11-1, 11-6. Two courts over, Duany gave up a lead to David Pena at #4, battled back to even the score, then emerged with a 14-12 victory in the first game. Duany made it 2-0 with an 11-7 win. Pena rallied from a 7-5 deficit in the third game to win, 11-8. By this time, the #1 match had started with freshman Harrity taking on Ben Fischer. Harrity won the opener, 11-7, giving hope to the Princeton faithful that a significant rally was in progress.

Duany wouldn’t let it happen. The Rochester freshman took control after a 2-2 tie early and went on to an 11-5 win. It was the fifth team point for Rochester, cinching the victory. Harrity did go on to sweep Fischer, 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-6).