(updated 21-jan-10 11:42 )  

BANTAM FRESHMEN WRAP IT UP FOR TRINITY WOMEN’S SQUASH IN WIN AT YALE

NEW HAVEN CT - In another exciting chapter in the intra-state Connecticut rivalry between Trinity College in Hartford and Yale University in New Haven, the home team Yale Bulldogs put a huge scare into the under-manned Trinity Bantams, before Trinity was able to pull out a razor-thin victory over Yale. Both teams showed that there is a lot of strength, depth and heart in their respective lineups, and set up an interesting next month as anticipation will build up to the Women's Nationals.

Yale took an early 4 matches to 2 lead into the final three contests. Trinity was able to equalize things at 4-4 with the final match remaining on court, being at the number four position, featuring Robyn Hodgson, a staondout Freshman from Aberdeen Scotland. Hodgson closed it out in front of a noisy crowd, 12-10 in the fourth. For Hodgson, a Scottish junior star who had trained with Peter Nicol's father and run afoul of the Scottish Squash Organization (based in Edinburgh), much as Peter had done years earlier, it was a major vindication and a very illustrious start to her US Collegiate career.

Yale Head coach Dave Talbott was surprised with just how well the team played, saying it was "the best match [the Bulldogs] have played in the last two to three years."  Talbott added that he was "extremely proud" of his team and is looking forward to hosting the Team Championships in February, where the Bulldogs might get a second shot at Trinity. 

This was Yale's second loss of the season, as they had earlier fallen to a very strong Penn squad early in December.

Trinity played without their reigning National Individual Champion, Nour Baghat

Trinity, ranked No. 2 in the nation, improves to 7-0, while the Bulldogs, ranked No. 4 nationally, drop to 7-2.

Hodgson took the first two games against Yale sophomore Rhetta Nadas (Boston, Mass.), 11-7, and, 11-8, and held on in the fourth game, 12-10, to secure the match for the Bantams.  Trinity, playing without sophomore No. 1 and defending National Intercollegiate Singles Champion Nour Bhagat (Cairo, Egypt) due to an injury, rallied back from a 4-3 deficit as rookie Pam Hathway (Munich, Germany), not ranked among the nation’s top 25 individuals, ousted Bulldog junior and No. 5-ranked  Logan Greer (Berwyn, Pa.), 3-1, while replacing Bhagat at the top spot.

Trinity junior Robyn Williams (Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) had come back from an 11-3 loss in the first game of the No. 9 match to win, 3-1, and tie the team score at 1-1.  Senior Emily Paton (Victoria, British Columbia) posted the lone 3-0 win for the Bantams, at No. 8, to knot the team tally at 2-2, while senior captain No. 6 Jo-Ann Jee (Kuching, Malaysia) outlasted Bulldog sophomore Alexandra Van Arkel (Radnor, Pa.) to tie the match at 3-3.
Yale junior Sarah Toomey (Norwich, Vt.), ranked No. 16 in the nation, won, 3-0, over Trinity senior and No. 12-ranked Nayelly Hernandez (San Luis Potosi, Mexico) in the No. 2 match.  Yale senior Alia Aziz (New York, N.Y.), ranked No. 19 nationally, won, 3-0, over Bantam senior and No. 22-ranked Tehani Guruge (Colombo, Sri Lanka).

Yale will next be in action on Jan. 30, when the Bulldogs travel to New Jersey to face the No. 7 Princeton Tigers.  Princeton (3-1, 2-0 Ivy) began the season ranked No. 1, but fell to No. 7 after a season-opening loss to Stanford.

MATCH RESULTS
1. TC- Pamela Hathway d. Logan Greer, 14-12 11-2 10-12 11-5
2. Y- Sarah Toomey d. Nayelly Hernandez, 2-11 11-8 13-11 11-9
3. Y- Alia Aziz d. Tehani Guruge, 11-4 11-9 11-7
4. TC- Robyn Hodgson d. Rhetta Nadas, 11-8 11-7 6-11 12-10
5. TC- Jo-Ann Jee d. Alexandra Van Arkel, 11-8 2-11 11-3 12-14 11-3
6. Y- Katie Ballaine d. Alicia Rodriguez, 11-13 11-1 11-6 11-8
7. TC- Caroline Reigeluth d. Emery Holton, 14-12 7-11 3-11 11-6 11-8
8. TC- Emily Paton d. Alexandra Kerr, 11-7 11-5 11-7
9. TC- Robyn Williams d. Katherine Harrison, 3-11 11-8 11-5 11-3
10 TC - Pam Jiminez d. Carolyn Brown 11-5 11-8 11-7

Trinity (Conn.) 5, Yale 4