The Lafayette Club Squash team concluded another successful season and trip to the CSA National Championship. The team came into the tournament looking to repeat as Hawthorn Cup champions. This year’s tournament was held at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. In our opening match we played against Fordham University.
The match proved to be an epic battle against two determined teams. Will Giammattei and CJ Horning came through with some vital early victories for the Leopards in the 8 and 9 spot, respectively. Mark Bottini won a thrilling 5-game match by defeating Fordham’s number 3 player 11-9 in the fifth game. Lafayette Squash Club team’s president Carter Rufe overcame a shoulder injury which had him sidelined for most of the season to defeat Fordham’s number 2 handily in 3 games. Frank Dalicandro in the number 4 spot for Lafayette lost a very tight and well fought match in the fifth game 11-9. With the match 4-3 in favor of Lafayette after tough losses from Senior Aung Lin at the number 5 spot and Junior Rob Elliot at the number 7 spot, senior Lexy Pierce after being down two games to zero showed her resilience to battle her way back to win games three and four. The fifth game was a thriller with both players fighting off match points against them but it inevitably ended with Fordham’s number 6 defeating Lexy 16-14. The deciding match came down to Lafayette number 1 Chip Culp who easily defeated Fordham’s number 1 in 3 games to clinch the match for Lafayette in the opening round of the CSA national championship Hawthorn bracket.
The semifinals saw Lafayette taking on the number 1 seed in the bracket the University of Vermont. After a thrilling victory over Fordham University, the Leopards carried their momentum into the next match by dominating the Catamounts with a decisive 8-1 victory. The leopards were now just one victory away from retaining the Hawthorn Cup.
The finals saw Lafayette taking on Bryant University. Bryant University came out with a ton of energy looking to avenge their loss to Lafayette at last year’s national tournament. It was very close early with Bryant taking an early 2-1 lead against Lafayette. But then Lafayette’s number 3 Mark Bottini overcame a tough Bryant University competitor to win his match in 5-games to change up the momentum in favor of Lafayette. Key wins from Carter Rufe and Chip Culp in decisive fashion put the Hawthorn Cup well within reach for Lafayette. The Leopards were able to gain the necessary victories from the middle of the line-up to secure a 6-3 victory for Lafayette and allow us to defend our title of Hawthorn Cup Champions!!!

Lafayette captured its second straight Hawthorn Cup Championship on February 23rd, edging Bryant University 6-3 it what was a thrilling match.

On Sunday night, the Lafayette Club Squash Team won its first ever Hoff Award for Athletic Group of the Year, pulling in one of the school’s highest honors for an organization. The Hoff Awards are presented to students, groups and faculty who have made an outstanding contribution to the Lafayette College community during the academic year. The 2009 Aaron O. Hoff Awards Ceremony article has been posted on the Lafayette College school website, which also mentions the historical significance of this great achievement. Below is the specific description of the award and excerpt about the Squash team:

Athletic/Recreational Club of the Year. Presented to an athletic or recreational club that has been well organized, has offered its membership and the college excellent opportunities for participation and/or competition with good sportsmanship, and has improved its membership or campus recognition.
Club Squash Team

Senior and former Club President Reed Edwards was there to accept the award on behalf of the Squash team, who was also represented by senior Amar Gujral. The award was presented by Student Government President Ashley Jauvinett, who had been in close relation with the Squash Team throughout its season to help allocate funds to finance this year’s tremendously successful season. In her speech, she cited the club’s excellent progress, strong organization and prospects for the future. The Lafayette Club Squash Team aims to continue its success both on the court and in relations with the school as it looks forward to next year’s season.

City Squash Program

Here’s a video about the increasingly popular City Squash program, which helps children from inner-city areas develop both on and off the court through the game of Squash. The program was featured on NBC’s Today Show and aired on February 27th.

Enjoy!

Hawthorn Cup Champions!

The Lafayette Squash team soared to new heights on Sunday morning, defeating Notre Dame in convincing fashion by a match score of 9-0 to take the Hawthorn Cup Championship. The Leopards finished first in their bracket, knocking off the Fighting Irish who were the only other undefeated team in the Hawthorn division. All players seemed to put everything together on this last day of the season, with seven out of their nine players refusing to drop even a game. Among the Lafayette players that won 3-0 in the Hawthorn Cup Championship match include Carter Rufe, Mark Botini, team Captain Reed Edwards, Lexy Pierce, Aung Lin, Frank Dalicandro and Holden Ranz. This was Dalicandro’s first win of the Tournament weekend at the number 7 spot. Lafayette’s Amar Gujral played very tough at the number 8 position, edging his opponent in 5 games after being down 1-0 to start. However, the match of the day award went to Lafayette’s number 1 player Chip Culp, who rallied from being down 2-0 to win 3 straight games to finish off a perfect match and cap the season with a strong 9-0 Championship victory.

This National Tournament victory is a great step for this young Lafayette squad, who is graduating only 2 seniors in the top nine in team Captain Reed Edwards and Amar Gujral. The team looks to build off of this Hawthorn Cup Championship and advance to an even higher bracket at next year’s National Tournament, but for now will enjoy what has been a milestone 2008-2009 season.