Two weeks ago, the Connecticut College Men’s Squash team embarked on a journey with a goal in mind. Headed north to New Haven, the guys were due to make an appearance at the Men’s Collegiate Squash Team National Championships being held at Yale University. The plan was to return from the event as reigning champions, and our Camels were ready to stomp out the competition and bring a few more Conroy cups (trophy named for the division in which we play) home to New London.
For most teams, with Colgate, Georgetown, Hobart, MIT, Northeastern, Northwestern and Wesleyan standing in the way of winning, the work would seem cut out and the competition stacked. But we’re the Camels, and we don’t play that.
During the regular season, the men’s squash team had already beaten each college they played against at nationals, thus, the team went into the championship with a high morale and a clear idea of what needed to get done.
“The team felt confident, and we had our full line-up, so we felt good. We knew it was just about staying focused, and beating the teams again,” said Kevin Coscarelli, the senior co-captain of the men’s team.
With a full line-up and a new arsenal of talented freshmen, the men proceeded to take down Georgetown in the first round with an impressive 7-2 victory, securing the win with the same score the team defeated Georgetown with in regular season.
At the same time, storied rivals Wesleyan had beat MIT 9-0, advancing to play the Camels in the next round. Speaking to Bill McNally, head coach of the men’s squash team, it was clear to both him and the guys that the Wesleyan match was crucial.
Having played Wesleyan three times during the regular season, and only coming away with one close 5-4 victory, McNally said that, “Given [the] regular season record, we knew that the Wesleyan match was key. Wesleyan was also up for the match, and I am sure feeling a bit more confident.”
Not letting these previous circumstances bruise the team’s high moral, the men marched into battle with our closest NESCAC neighbors. Starting out, freshmen Charlie Bolton and Chris King won their matches and set the pace against Wesleyan 2-1. Freshman Asa Welty followed suit as well and won his match, giving Conn the edge in a 3-2 overall match.
Will Moger, senior co-captain with Coscarelli, battled in a long five-setter fight, even taking his opponent into overtime before unfortunately succumbing to Wesleyan 12-10. Sophomore Jon Markson, known for his moves on the squash court and his guitar grooves with Connecticut College’s premiere band Shake The Baron, won his match in a five-setter, a bout coach McNally called, “An outstanding effort.”
With this win, the overall match was tied 4-4 and the deciding match was to be played by freshman Caleb Garza. Garza, who had an amazing record of 22-5 individual wins over the course of the season, has been a constant presence and a “consistent producer,” said McNally and of Garza’s talent.
Coscarelli noted, “He’s very, very good. I think he’s going to win NESCAC rookie of the year. He definitely deserves to, so I think it’s in his future.”
Sure enough, Garza closed out the match with a three game win and cinched the overall match with a 5-4 victory, sending Wesleyan’s Cardinals back to pecking granola in Middletown.
Archenemy out of the way, Conn advanced to the final match against Hobart, a team they defeated during the regular season. The day after defeating Wesleyan, the confident Conn men took Hobart to school beating them 6-3 and winning the Conroy Division Championship for the second consecutive year.
A proud coach, McNally seems especially pleased with this year’s freshmen on the squash team.
“The really interesting thing about this team is that there are five freshmen on it and they have been consistent performers. In fact, some of our NESCAC wins, against Hamilton and Wesleyan for example, were 5-4 matches where the 5 freshmen won. They just see themselves as winners and take the court against all opponents with confidence.”
The attitude of the freshmen is either indicative of the team’s new morale, or perhaps the cause of it.
“Knowing that our team was really dedicated this year to being the best, and having a better record than last year, especially knowing that our competition had gotten better, increased morale a lot,” added Coscarelli.
And to be a champion in his senior year? “It feels absolutely fantastic,” said Coscarelli, who’s never previously won in his squash career, “Being number one in the division my senior year is awesome.”
With specific thoughts of Garza grabbing the 2nd consecutive NESCAC rookie of the year (last year, CC freshmen Antonio Diaz-Gonzales Salas won, but has since transferred) title, a second consecutive division championship and a considerably better record than last year, the men’s squash team appears to be on a roll.
With these accomplishments, it feels like the college’s newly revamped tougher, more serious Camel mascot seems right on time.
