W. Squash | Bantams barely banished at Ringe

For captain Emily Goodwin, Saturday's squash match against No. 3 Trinity was more than just a battle of top-ranked teams - the New York native's best friend from home, Chauncey Kerr, is the captain of the Bantams.

Nevertheless, the history of the two captains contributed to a heated match, literally and figuratively, at Ringe Courts. No. 2 Penn managed to keep its cool and end the day with a close 5-4 win over visiting Trinity.

The hot temperatures on the courts made the ball bounce a little faster. However, the Quakers were able to keep up with their speed and keep calm during the intense matches.

"All sports get heated, no matter what," Goodwin said. "It's how you deal with the pressure and how you deal with the calls that could have gone either way. Ultimately what's going to win you the match is your talent."

The Red and Blue (8-0) closely battled the Bantams (7-1) at all spots on the ladder. Goodwin managed to win her match at the No. 9 spot, giving her team a win to start off the day. Although she lost her first game, 4-9, the senior stayed composed, adjusted her serving strategy and came back to win the remaining three games.

"I was of course nervous, because it was crowded here," Goodwin said. "I was just patient and tried not to make many mistakes."

After senior Tara Chawla and sophomore Annie Madeira won their matches to stay undefeated on the season, junior Christina Matthias defeated Trinity's Pamela Jimenez at the No. 5 spot to put the Quakers up, 4-3.

Needing one more win to snag a commanding 5-3 lead, junior Sydney Scott defeated Nayelly Hernandez at the No. 2 spot.

"It's always fun to win the match that wins the whole thing. I haven't done that in a long time," Scott said. "In general, I thought I moved her around the court better than she moved me around the court. I just felt like I controlled the match, whereas she was always running around. "

Despite the win, "there were certainly heartbreakers," coach Jack Wyant said. No. 1 Kristin Lange and No. 3 Alisha Turner each lost their first match of the season.

"There's not a lot that separates us [from Trinity]," Wyant added. "Both teams are really talented, [but] we played a little bit better in some of the big spots."

Trinity coach Wendy Bartlett, currently in her 25th season with the Bantams, knows all about the perpetually tight matches between her team and Penn.

"As always, [the match against Penn was] very strong, very tough, especially on their home courts," Bartlett said. "It was very hard fought on both sides. I knew it was going to be a close match, and it was. 5-4 - you can't get much closer than that."

Bartlett thought her team hurt its opportunity to win key matches against the Quakers by falling behind early.

"I don't think in the first round matches, the players adjusted soon enough," she said. "They were a little defensive, falling back. We need to start off stronger, because those first three matches get the momentum going."

Bartlett claimed one reason for the "defensiveness" was her players' unfamiliarity with the Penn courts. Trinity's courts consist of panels, and two of their courts are a colorful blue color, hence their nickname "rainbow" courts. At Penn the courts are concrete, causing the ball to bounce differently and change the feel of the match.

While the Bantams were taking their time to adjust, the Quakers were capitalizing on their home-court advantage. However, they will not have the same luxury this week when they travel to Princeton, N.J. on Wednesday to play the No. 1 Tigers.

"We're fit enough and good enough; we just have to go in with the right mindset," Wyant said. "Hopefully we'll have some fans that travel with us and we'll get a little support away from home."

For now, the women are just enjoying the win and their undefeated status.

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