Nov. 21, 2009

Complete Results

ANNAPOLIS, Md -- The eighth-ranked Dartmouth Big Green defeated the No. 14 Navy squash team, 7-2, in its season opener Saturday afternoon at the Halsey Field House International Squash Courts in Annapolis, while the Mids had their six-match winning streak snapped. Six of the nine matches were decided in extra games in what was one of the most competitive matches between the two programs in recent memory.

"This was by far our best effort of the season," said 10th-year Navy head coach Craig Dawson. "We continue to improve each time we compete and I think today's match will help prepare us for the College Squash Association Championship in a few months."

Dartmouth claimed the No. 1, 4 and 8 spots in three games, but the remaining matches were taken to four games, if not five. Navy junior Allan Lutz (McLean, Va.) jumped out to a 2-0 advantage at the No. 2 position against 28th-ranked Nick Sisodia. But Sisodia took an 11-7 win in the third to extend the match before carding the equalizer in the fourth, 13-11. Sisodia took the match by claiming an 11-9 win in the fifth.

Navy senior Ben Mantica (Binghamton, N.Y.), however, came back to take the win at No. 3. He scored a 17-15 win in the opening game, but fell behind 2-1 when Robbie Maycock put together back-to-back wins. Mantica knotted things up in the fourth with an 11-9 win and then took an 11-9 victory to earn the match win.

Fellow senior Justin Langan (St. Louis, Mo.) upset 68th-ranked Michael Lewis at the No. 5 slot. Langan rushed out to a 2-0 lead thanks to an 11-8 win, followed by an 11-7 decision. But Lewis pushed the match to four games as he turned in an 11-4 win in the third. Langan claimed the match, however, with an 11-7 win in the fouth.

Navy freshmen Billy Abrams (Wilmington, Del.) and John Richey (West Hartford, Conn.) both lost five-game heartbreakers. Abrams owned a 2-1 lead, but a 12-10 loss in the fourth to Brian O'Toole turned the momentum and O'Toole claimed the match with an 11-8 win in the fifth. Richey, meanwhile, traded wins with Alex Kurth before Kurth finally scored the match win with an 11-3 victory in the fifth.

The Midshipmen, who are now 12-2, will be back in action on Dec. 5 when they travel to Williams College to face Williams (10:00 am) and St. Lawrence (2:00 pm).

Nov. 21, 2009 • Dartmouth 7, Navy 21.   Chris Hanson (D) def. Nils Mattsson (N)          11-9, 11-9, 11-62.   Nick Sisodia (D) def. Allan Lutz (N)             9-11, 13-15, 11-7, 13-11, 11-93.   Ben Mantica (N) def. Robbie Maycock (D)          17-15, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-94.   Luke Lee (D) def. Brad Seidel (N)                11-9, 11-7, 11-95.   Justin Langan (N) def. Michael Lewis (D)         11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 11-76.   Brian O'Toole (D) def. Billy Abrams (N)          9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 11-87.   Daniel Wagman (D) def. Hunter Bouchard (N)       11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-78.   Stephen Wetherill (D) def. Tommy McNamara (N)    11-7, 11-6, 11-29.   Alex Kurth (D) def. John Richey (N)              11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 10-12, 11-3