The Quakers had a flurry of road action over this past weekend. While the average Penn student was lying comfortably on his or her favorite couch enjoying some well-deserved Ho-Hos and onion rings, Penn's No.1-ranked women's squash team was sweating it out on courts throughout the Northeast. Penn coach Demer Holleran scheduled four matches in a two-day span to keep her team sharp. She had her squad face off against a group of competitors from Apawamis Club (Rye, N.Y.) in the morning this past Saturday. The Quakers then made their way to the Round Hill Club (Greenwich, Conn.) in the afternoon. The Red and Blue then battled at the New York Athletic Club (New York) and at the Heights Casino Club (Brooklyn) on Sunday. The Quakers had truly unique competitive opportunities at each of these venues. They got the chance to have a go against a much more diverse sampling of players than they are accustomed to. "[Playing these clubs] was a humbling experience. We competed against very skilled men, women and children," Holleran said. More than anything else, these matches reminded the Quakers what part of their individual games they still need to work on. "We have to work on remaining calm under pressure, setting points up well, and volleying more often," Holleran said. This strategy apparently worked well, with each Quaker winning at least one match. "Everyone in the top eleven participated except Helen [Bamber]," Holleran said. "Each girl had a win and a loss. I was proud of my team's solid play." It was not all work and no play for the Quakers on their trip up the East Coast, though. They were fortunate enough to watch a women's professional squash tournament over their holiday trip. There, they had the distinct pleasure of watching world-champion Sara Fitzgerald impress and inspire with a convincing win over her opponent. The fireworks did not stop there. In a smoky New York City restaurant, the Quakers bumped into former teenage heartthrob Jason Priestley. "He had way too much facial hair, but he was still hot," Penn senior co-captain Katie Patrick said. Hopefully, the Quakers will be able to get Priestley off their minds by Sunday when they travel to Hartford, Conn., to do battle with No. 4-ranked Trinity College. "They could very possibly beat us," Holleran said. "We are playing them home, and their squash fans are known to get a little rowdy and boisterous." The Quakers will have to play extremely sound squash, especially those individuals playing in the top five. "Trinity's top half of the line-up is very good. All are foreign," Holleran said. "They will play two All-Americans against us." Holleran's players concur. "We definitely have to play really well," Patrick said. "We are certainly not underestimating them." With a victory at Trinity, the Red and Blue will lengthen their winning streak to five. This momentum is exactly the kind of impetus the Quakers will need to defeat the very mighty Princeton Tigers next Wednesday. Penn is eager to take on the Tigers and get a chance to avenge one of its two 1998-99 losses, a 7-2 defeat at Old Nassau.
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