With deep lineup, men's squash team keeps winning

By Dan Brodhead

Yale would go on to lose all of its matches in the top four portion of its ladder. Still, like they have done many times this year, the Bulldogs dug deep--and found a way to win. "We were underdogs and we were really pumped up for the match." Ken Woo, BR '01, said. "They came in underestimating what we could do, and we shocked them."

The Bulldogs managed to squeak out a victory by winning their bottom five matches. "We're like riff-raff," Woo added. "We're not as skilled as some other teams, but we've got heart. We work hard, surprise people, and ultimately get the wins we need."

Julia Tiernan/YH Men's Squash, 3-0 in league play, looks to return to greatness.

The funny thing about this team is that you won't find any All-Americans on its roster. With a pair of 9-0 wins over Navy and Tufts on Sat., Jan. 31, and a solid 8-1 win over Brown on Wed., Feb. 4, the team is now 11-1 (3-0 Ivy). The Elis have been ranked as high as third in the country. While favorites like Harvard, Trinity, and Princeton stack their lineup with world-class players, Yale relies on a deep and consistent roster. "We're tough from the number one seed all the way to 22," Freddy Bouchardy, BK '01, said.

A strong squash team is no surprise at Yale--it's tradition. Since arriving at Yale in 1983, coach Dave Talbott has compiled a record of 167-44, and guided his teams to national championships in 1989 and 1990. After those championship years, the team slumped because of outdated facilities and a few tough recruiting years. But this year, men's squash is back to its familiar place on top. Since the installation of state-of-the-art facilities, recruiting classes have been much stronger.

"This is definitely the best team we've had in four years," Talbott said. "I could see us winning a national championship very shortly." Coming from a coach who has seen many great teams, these are strong words indeed.

But while most great teams are defined by their top players, this squad is characterized by its remarkable depth, anchored by a group of strong freshmen.

"The freshmen have boosted us to the next level," Talbott said. "They've given us the tools to win." Leading the pack is Blake Gilpin, TC '01, an interscholastic champion at Massachusetts' Milton Academy. "We knew he was good because he did so well last year in high school," Talbott said. "But he's improved since then. He's definitely one of the best freshmen in the league."

Currently, seven rookies are vying for the seventh, eighth, and ninth spots on the ladder. This has resulted in unusually competitve intrasquad competition as players battle for playing time. "The practices are brutal," Talbott said. "It's an intense three hours everyday, but you know that if you win, you'll play."

"We push each other in practice," Woo added. "We consistently make each other better." Bouchardy agreed. "Sometimes the challenge matches are much harder than the regular matches."

The players and the coach were quick to note, however, that this competition does not hinder team cohesiveness. "It's weird," Talbott said, of the team atmosphere. "Squash is an individual sport and we've got guys from all over the world on the squad, but I don't think you could find a closer team on campus."

The freshmen have received much attention early on, but the team's senior leadership has still been crucial to the team's early success. The Blue's top seniors, Doug Lam, SM '98, and team captain Devraj Roy, TC '98, have provided guidance for the younger players. "Lam has really established himself at the number one spot this year," Talbott noted. "He's beaten great players in our matches against Williams and Cornell, and I think he's got a shot at being an All-American this year."

On Sat., Feb. 7, the Bulldogs will face perhaps their toughest foe of the year: Princeton. Once again, they'll depend on their deep line-up for a victory.

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