Saints Lose To 9th-Ranked Penn in Hoehn Cup Opener

by: 

Dale Walker

Nick Pearson went to five games in Friday's Hoehn Cup match against Penn

St. Lawrence University's men's squash team lost its quarterfinal match in the Hoehn Cup competition at the College Squash Association team nationals, 9-0 to ninth-ranked Pennsylvania on Friday.

The Saints, ranked 16^th nationally, will play the loser of a Friday match between 15^th ranked Navy and 12^th-ranked Franklin and Marshall in Saturday's consolation round quarterfinals.

Penn, the top-ranked team in the Hoehn Cup, which is for teams ranked ninth through 16^th nationally, advances to play the winner of the Franklin and Marshall and Navy match in Saturday's semifinals. Bates, ranked 11^th, played 14^th ranked Brown and Williams, ranked 10^th, took on 15^th ranked Bowdoin in the other Hoehn Cup quarterfinal matches.

Penn's Danny Greenberg beat the Saints Scott Phillips 3-1 in the match at one on Friday as the two split games one and two before Greenberg prevailed 11-5 and 11-8 in games three and four. Amay Merchant lost in three very competitive games to Mark Froot, 11-8, 12-10, 12-10 at two and Alex Dodge lost at three to Trevor McGuinness 3-1, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10.

James Clark turned back the Saints Jermaine Xaba 3-0 at four, Porter Drake beat Tyler Stout 3-0 at five and Zahib Mahiddin defeated Nick Pearson 3-2 at six, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-4.

Brooks Russell beat the Saints Michael Badali 3-1 at seven after Badali won the opening game 11-6, William Brown beat Thomas Kraft 3-0 and Ahkilesh Mayak turned back Saint rookie Russell Woeltz 3-1 at nine as the two traded 11-6 games before Nayak prevailed 11-5 and 11-2 in games three and four.

The Saints will take a 12-9 record into Saturday's consolation quarterfinal.