NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Franklin & Marshall's men's squash team
is headed to the Hoehn Cup semifinals on Saturday after defeating
Navy for the second time in less than a week. The #12 Diplomats
(12-9) handed the #13 Midshipmen (24-8) a 5-4 loss on Friday, the
first day of competition at the College Squash Association Team
Championships.
After defeating Nils Mattsson in three in last Saturday's match,
Navy's captain returned the favor to the Diplomats' Gabriel de Melo
(14-6), snapping the winning streak of F&M's top man at seven
matches. It was one of three reversals of fortune from last
Saturday's meeting. The Diplomats Chris Gagnier (5-5) was defeated
by Hunter Bouchard 3-1 in the seventh position last time out.
Gagnier defeated Bouchard 3-1 this afternoon. Ben Lurio (9-9), who
handed David Koenig a pivotal setback in five on Saturday, fell in
three during Friday's quarterfinal matchup.
Guillherme de Melo (16-3) now maintains F&M's longest active
winning streak at six matches. The Diplomats' no. 2 needed four
games to defeat Allan Lutz. Juan Lopez (13-8) has now won
five-straight. He defeated Ben Mantica in four.
Sadiq Madraswala (13-7) reached a milestone during the win over
Navy. The Diplomats senior became the 26th member of the
50-win club at F&M after beating Navy's Justin Langan in three.
He is the first new member of the club since Satyajit Seshadri
joined the group in 2007.
The Diplomats return to action tomorrow afternoon against Penn.
The Quakers defeated F&M 8-1 back in early December.
#12 Franklin & Marshall 5, #13 Navy 4
1. Nils Mattsson (NAVY) def. Gabriel de Melo (F&M)
6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-5
2. Guillherme de Melo (F&M) def. Allan Lutz (NAVY) 11-7, 6-11,
13-11, 12-10
3. Juan Diego Lopez (F&M) def. Ben Mantica (NAVY) 11-6, 8-11,
11-7, 11-7
4. Sadiq Madraswala (F&M) def. Justin Langan (NAVY) 11-8,
11-6, 11-8
5. Brad Seidel (NAVY) def. Zarir Aibara (F&M) 11-8, 8-11,
12-10, 11-7
6. Pat Cunningham (F&M) def. Billy Abrams (NAVY) 11-9, 5-11,
11-8, 11-9
7. Chris Gagnier (F&M) def. Hunter Bouchard (NAVY) 11-4, 6-11,
14-12, 12-10
8. David Koenig (NAVY) def. Ben Lurio (F&M) 11-5, 11-4,
11-9
9. John Richey (NAVY) def. Fred Struse (F&M) 11-7, 11-8,
11-7
Match Notes
Navy 24-8; National ranking #13
Franklin & Marshall 12-9; National ranking #12
Diplomats to face Penn at noon on Saturday in Hoehn Cup
Semifinals
