Howe high can Penn women’s squash rise?

After three years of watching Ivy rival Princeton take home the national title, the women’s squash team’s seniors have their eyes on the prize.

Since their arrival at Penn, Kristen Lange, Sydney Scott, Christina Matthias and Britt Hebden have formed the core of what coach Jack Wyant described as “the most talented squash team that Penn’s ever had.”

This weekend will be their last chance to claim the prize that has eluded them throughout their careers: the Howe Cup and the title of national champions.

The Quakers take on the Big Red today in the first round of the College Squash Association National Team Championships in New Haven, Conn.

After a rocky start to its season, Cornell (8-5, 2-4 Ivy) recovered to finish with a string of six wins.

Despite the Big Red’s early struggles, Wyant recognizes Cornell’s potential to continue their momentum the way his Quakers have.

“Their team reminds me a little bit of our team four years ago, when our four seniors arrived,” he said.

Before it settled into a midseason streak of shutouts, Penn (11-2, 5-1 Ivy) had to work to beat the Big Red 7-2 back in November.

If it comes out on top today, Penn will face either Stanford or Trinity in the semifinals. The No. 2 Bantams were the first team to hand Penn a loss after the Quakers opened their season with nine straight victories.

If Penn emerges victorious, the Quakers could be fighting for the Cup against their old enemy Princeton in the final round.

That would promise to be a bigger grudge match than normal for these two teams. The last time they played each other in the Howe Cup finals in 2008, Princeton handed Penn its sole defeat of that season.

Although No. 1 Harvard may be the favorite this year boasting a perfect season, they will have to hold off a Princeton team all too used to victory in this tournament.

The Tigers have won the Howe Cup 17 times since 1973, including the last three years under coach Gail Ramsay.

This year, the Princeton squad will have to work harder than usual given the four losses they sustained in the regular season, including a 6-3 defeat to Penn last month.

“I think all of the top five teams have a chance to take home the Cup this year,” Ramsay wrote in an e-mail.

Penn co-captain Sydney Scott agreed.

“Every win that we get is going to be an extremely exciting win just because the level [of competition] is so high,” she said.

The Quakers have had three weeks to reflect on their performance this season and are confident they know what needs fixing.

“There were a lot of matches that came down to a big point,” Scott explained, “and it seemed like whoever won that point would win the game.”

Big rewards are in store if the Quakers can master those big points.

Though Penn’s sole victory in the Howe Cup came ten years ago, Wyant is sure his current lineup gives him the best chance of upsetting Princeton and starting a winning streak of his own, despite the pending departure of his invaluable senior quartet.

“Hopefully we can get our name on that trophy as frequently in the future as [Princeton has] in the past,” he said.

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