Harvard squash showing potential

Princeton's women's and men's squash teams are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country, respectively, but Harvard's squads, No. 3 and 5, have been playing at a level to challenge the Tigers' lofty status.

Though its most recent win came in a sweep of Williams College, 9-0, Ivy League wins always taste a little bit sweeter for the Crimson's women's squash team. Prior to the No. 7 Williams game, No. 5 Harvard (2-0 overall, 2-0 Ivy League) flexed its muscles against No. 8 Brown, taking the match 9-0.

Five players — Jennifer Blumberg, Supriya Balsaker, Andrey Duboc, Sandra Mumanachit and Charlene Neo — took at least one out of their three sets 9-0. Duboc, notably, took two of her three sets 9-0, squashing her opponent, Kali Schellenberg, 9-0, 9-2, 9-0. The game was almost uncontested, as each Brown player failed to come within three points of the Harvard players' final set scores.

The No. 3 Crimson men's squash team (2-0, 2-0) also breezed past No. 8 Williams College with a 9-0 win. Harvard's men asserted their dominance over the Bears (0-1, 0-1) as well. Each player on the Crimson team won his set, with four players taking at least one of his sets 9-0. Ilan Oran took two out of his three sets, 9-0 and took his final set 9-1. The Harvard men's and women's squads will next face No. 7 Dartmouth on Nov. 29. Brown's men and women will face the Tigers at home on Dec. 2.

Bears stomp Dartmouth, crushed by men in uniform

Brown's men's swimming and diving team (1-2, 1-1) dominated Dartmouth (1-7, 0-4) but was unable to keep up with Navy (9-0, 2-0) in a tri-dual meet held Nov. 18 at Dartmouth. Though not a part of the Ivy League, both Navy and Army participate in the men's Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League (EISL) and attend the championship meet with the other Ivy League teams. By the end of the meet, Brown had added one more Ivy League win to its count, stepping over the Big Green 194-48. Navy, however, had the last laugh, edging out its fellow EISL competitor, 140-103.

The meet started off with Navy's Kevin Teague winning both the three-meter and one-meter diving events. Navy's Cody Reeb narrowly out-touched Brown's Volosin by a mere 0.16 seconds in a 1000-yard race. Reeb again upset Volosin by reaching in 0.69 seconds faster in the 500-yard freestyle. Navy's freshman Adam Meyer placed first in the 200-yard IM medley and 200-yard breaststroke.

Brown's Brian Kelly placed first in two individual events, taking both the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events. Kelly also anchored Brown's winning 400-yard IM medley relay. Brown's Richard Alexander took the 200-yard butterfly and was part of both the winning 400-yard individual medley relay and the second-place finishing 400-yard freestyle relay.

Dartmouth failed to produce any strong swims or wins. Its 400-yard IM medley and freestyle relays placed eighth and seventh respectively. The only athlete who placed in the top three was Andrew Berry, who placed third in the three-meter and fourth in the one-meter diving events. Though the Big Green had the home-pool advantage, it never even got started against either Brown or Navy.

Dartmouth will next face Boston University on Jan. 13. Navy will next compete against rival academy, Army, on Nov. 30. It will then travel to Princeton to take on the Tigers Dec. 10. Brown's men will travel to Princeton for the Big Al Invitation this weekend.

Women also top the Big Green

Like their male teammates, the Brown women's swimming and diving team (2-1, 2-1) edged out Dartmouth (2-3, 1-3) 162.5 to 137.5. Though Dartmouth took first in nine events, including both the 200-yard IM relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay, it was ultimately Brown who won the meet.

Though it ultimately fell to its Ancient Eight foe, the Big Green turned in some noteworthy times. Dartmouth's Melissa Kern dominated the distance freestyle events, taking both the 1000-yard and 500-yard freestyle. Heather Jankins won all three individual events, including the 100-yard breaststroke, and the 50 and 100-yard freestyle events.

Brown's Amy Latinen and Dana Meadow went one-two in the three-meter and one-meter events. In diving, Emily Brush dominated the backstroke events, taking first in both the 100 and 200-yard events. Becky Kowalski placed first in the 200-yard freestyle and second in the 100-yard event. Ashley Wallace and Meredith Cocco placed first and second in the 200-yard butterfly and followed up with secondand third-place finishes in the 100-yard event.