Squash Day 1

New England’s runs differently from Nationals. Where Nationals is team competition, with each seven players playing against another school’s seven players, New Englands is an individual event - today, we played against 11 different schools during our 17 matches.

Cici kicked off the day with an excellent match against Kingswood-Oxford. Although she lost in three, her scores improved steadily, and the battle of who could win the serve and then control the front court was intense and lively. Even more, as the match progressed, Cici hit winners from a wider variety of positions.

Megan then took on Ethel Walker‘s number six, with Megan winning in three and the Walker‘s scores declining throughout. Both girls were quick to the front court, however, and they attacked with brilliant drop shots, but ultimately it was Megan‘s success at keeping out of the tin and wearing down the Walker‘s backhand that took the match.

Catey then gave us one of the most intense matches of the day, playing against Miss Porter’s School. Game one went to Porter’s 11–8, with Catey winning in the front court, but Porters taking the drives. Catey stormed back in game two, winning a stunning 11-2, driving the ball wide and deep. Porters fought back in game 3, and Catey had trouble with the tin, though she did get 7. Game 4 went to Catey by the same score, because she hit great straight shots and forced the Porter’s backhand. Game 5, which would decide the winner, opened with a blizzard of drives and crosses that kept the ball in the back and yet no one could open up the front court. Catey then began working the back right to front left diagonal, taking points out of Porter’s. Porter’s responded by driving hard down the left wall, forcing Catey onto her heels. Ultimately, that strategy paid off, but Catey showed her great resolution and command.

Emi drew Newton Country Day School for her first match. A program unknown to us, Newton offered a shooting game. The Newton player slung fine cross courts, though Emi shut them down with drops to the front left. That strategy won the first game, yet a totally different strategy came out in game two, with Emi shooting around the court. That strategy worked as well, yet in game three Newton’s hard-hit cross courts forced Emi to respond with cross drops, even going to the risky forehand side, yet ultimately taking the match 3-0.

Ashley took the court against Concord Academy, yet another school we knew little about. The Concord girl displayed good skills in warm-up and could really power the ball. Ashley won the first two games in 5 and 6 by concentrating on the Concord backhand, though Concord hit some fine drives and drops, forcing Ashley to run hard. To counter that in game three, Ashley worked hard to get in position early so that she could hold her racket as long as possible before swinging, forcing Concord to commit, giving Ashley an edge and ultimately an 11-2 win.

Chloe finished out our first round, playing the Newton 1. Newton was a tall player with good technical skills that Chloe countered with her excellent sense of strategy and by applying steady pressure throughout each game. Nervous, however, Chloe found the tin, and Newton, in each of the three games, responded with sophisticated combinations of drives and drops. Chloe sped around the court and forced Newton to earn each point, though ultimately Newton took that match.

With round one over, you might think that we had a breather, but New Englands is nonstop, operating on the hot court system: As soon as one match ends, the next match jumps on the court. It’s relentless.

Cici took on BB&N. Those points went back and forth and were quite athletic, with BB&N hitting effective forehand crosses and drops that forced Cici to scramble. Cici responded with shots in kind and then threw in the occasional boast to keep BB&N guessing. Cici added to the burden of BB&N by driving up and down the left wall, taking the final game 11-2. The match was a great display of Cici’s wise, aggressive play.

Megan then went out and beat Loomis 3-0. Their first game featured several tins from Loomis and a display in the front court from Megan, whose  soft hands troubled Loomis. Loomis settled down in game two, but Megan pushed her back onto her heels with a deadly gentle serve and then shot around the court. Seeing those openings, Megan commanded the third game, taking it 11-3 by working up and down the left wall and continuing with the drops, coming from both sides. Megan’s status as the number two seed in her draw showed.

Eleanor had a bye in round one, so she took the court in round two against a Berkshire player who had already won. The Berkshire girl’s skills were good, and she ran well and controlled the T. That solid game forced Eleanor to add a layer of deception to her up and back game. Berkshire responded in games one and two with great combinations of drops and drives, though Eleanor won both of those games. Unwilling to bend, Berkshire forced Eleanor to run hard, and many points between the two athletes seemed over only to have Eleanor or the Berkshire girl sneak a racket under the ball and flick it back into play. The long rallies left onlookers exhausted, with Berkshire dominating the T and Eleanor commanding the front court. That territory ultimately was the decider, Eleanor winning 3-0.

Catey’s second match was against Ethel Walker’s. Walker’s skill showed right away with strong drives and drops and even some kills right off of the serve. Undaunted, Catey responded by driving the ball hard and deep to the Walker’s backhand corner, taking the game. Catey got under the ball even more in game two, winning it in 4, commanding the left wall, yet also firing deep into the forehand corner. Her poise and control were unbeatable. Walker’s came out firing in game three, knowing that she had to win to stay alive. It was Walker’s drives that now went deep into both backhand corners, and her crosses kept Catey scurrying. Catey answered by controlling the T and hitting a series of smash drives that left her opponent trapped behind. The three game win was a fine show of mental strength.

Emi came up against a potent St. Mark’s player, in her second round. The St. Mark’s swatter hit a series of boasts and drives that forced Emi to cover tremendous distances, wearing her out and aggravating a headache she had developed since the first match. Forcing herself to concentrate, Emi responded to some of the boasts with drops and in game three with strong work on the left wall, though ultimately it was St. Mark’s match. Still, throughout each of the games, Emi worked to find openings and create space to shoot.

Ashley saw BB&N in her round two match, which was an impressive display of progressive sophistication. Ashley won the first game by balancing shots to both forehand and backhand, front and back. BB&N came out shooting in game two and found success in the front right corner, so Ashley adjusted by commanding the left wall, taking a total of 7 of her 11 points there. As strong a runner as the BB&N player was, Ashley controlled the third game with a variety of shots that earned at least one point in every corner of the court, though BB&N threw in effective crosscourts, though they were not enough; Ashley won in 3.  

Chloe pushed her well-ranked Middlesex player hard, forcing a tiebreaker in their first game, by shooting around the court and keeping the ball patiently alive. Game two went in 9, though Chloe controlled the front right and back left of the court, with Middlesex taking the T. Making yet another round of adjustments to her game, Chloe attacked the Middlesex return of serve in game three and forced a series of tins. She also took over the front court, though the Middlesex scored repeatedly on the forehand. Losing the match was hard, but the mental toughness and the versatility that Chloe showed was the true spirit and skill of a talented Squash player.

A short break allowed players and coaches to catch their breath, but soon it was back for part one of the consolation round; part two begins tomorrow morning.

Cici took on Tabor, and in the first two games, Cici scored well with cross courts and athleticism, though Tabor took both of those games in 7 by hitting sharp forehands and drops. A few tins in game three put the pressure on Cici, and Tabor added to it by going after Cici’s backhand. Cici responded by hitting aggressive drops and even winning outright on serve, though Tabor took the overall in 3. Cici will have one of the first matches Sunday, playing Kent.

Catey then faced her Tabor girl, as well, and the match went to 5 extraordinary, seesawing games. The players swapped wins in the first four games. Initially, Tabor controlled the left wall, but then Catey came back and started slapping drives and drops relentlessly, forcing the Taber girl to scurry and look for other places to shoot. Crosses sometimes were successful, but Catey’s anticipation often picked those up. Game five went back and forth, with each girl forcing the point forward in the court and shooting aggressively. Both Catey and Tabor found winners on both sides, and Catey added a few more to the back court, but it was Tabor who managed to score the final point in this demanding, inspiring match. Tomorrow, Catey begins her day by playing Pomfret.

Emi closed the evening, playing Concord Academy. The girls split the first two games, as they figured out each other’s style. Neither could gain an edge as she moved her opponent around the court and looked for a little bit of daylight to shoot. Athletic gets kept the ball in play, but a revitalized Emi found opportunity in game three, playing hard in the front corners, yet also shooting into the backhand corner. Game four looked like it would be a cinch, but Concord had other ideas, running Emi relentlessly and hitting a series of forehand crosses and volleys and boasts that forced Emi to get the ball back when it seemed there was nothing but shadow beneath it. All four corners of the court had to become Emi’s target, though she found her greatest success in the back corners, while Concord fired into the front left. Scores climbed, and the service went back and forth, forcing a tiebreaker. Emi sprinted forward and slammed a forehand cross that took things ahead. Concord stood tall and attacked on the next point. A loose Concord ball in the front court, and Emi held her racquet for impossibly long, only to flick a cross drop that won the match. She plays at Middlesex tomorrow morning.