Martlets Defeat AOF

After a weekend off, the Martlets had a fantastic showing at Avon Old Farms, picking up a solid 6-1 win on the road.  Daniel Frid ‘27, Tyson Mertz ‘27, and Zach Li ‘27 all played great squash, quickly identifying their opponents’ weaknesses and grabbing decisive 3-0 victories at the #3, #4, and #7 spots, respectively.  After a quick scare in the second game (after winning the first), Rafa Rodrigues ‘28 got back to some fundamentals at the #6 spot, playing smart, deep shots to his opponent’s backhand and waiting for the right time to strike, taking home the win in 4 games.  The bigger drama came at the #2 and #5 spots, with Alessio Suarez ‘27 and Sean Tang ‘28 each winning a 5-game battle.  After winning the first two games, Alessio’s opponent really started to shine in the front court, forcing Alessio to think more about his footwork and court position.  Despite two quick losses in the next two games, Alessio kept his focus and won an epic 13-11 fifth game.  Sean had nearly the opposite story, losing the first two games but never losing focus.  He received advice from his coach and teammates well, and put it right into action, bouncing back with three decisive victories in the next three games.  With our upcoming match against Hotchkiss canceled, the Martlets will have some time to really enjoy a great victory today before facing off against Williston Northampton at home after the long weekend.

Grit & Grace Award:  Both Sean Tang ‘28 and Alessio Suarez ‘27 deserve the award today for their never-give-up 5-game battles.  Both maintained their focus after some tough losses and controversial points, showing both grit in their playing and grace in how they handled conflict and adversity.