Feb. 21, 2010

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Twenty-four hours after dropping a heartbreaker to rival Franklin & Marshall in the first round of the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Tournament, the 13th-ranked Midshipmen bounced back to claim a 6-3 win over 16th-seeded St. Lawrence Saturday afternoon at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.

Freshman John Richey (West Hartford, Conn.) and junior Brad Seidel (Toledo, Ohio) not only are undefeated in this year's CSA Team Championship, the two extended their win streaks to eight in a row. Richey, who owns a team-leading 26-6 record this season, dispatched Russell Woeltz, 11-4, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, while Seidel also needed four games to claim his 22nd win of the year in a match against Tyler Stout at No. 5.

Meanwhile, Nils Mattsson (Spring House, Pa.) improved to 8-3 all-time in matches played at the CSA Team Championship, including wins in each of the last five bouts. Mattsson jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Scott Phillips before he was dealt an 11-6 setback in the third game. Mattsson, however, maintained his composure and put the match away in four with an 11-6 win. Mattsson now boasts a 90-30 career record and is the first Navy squash player during head coach Craig Dawson's 10-year tenure to reach the 90-win benchmark.

After dropping a four-game match Friday afternoon against F&M's Sadiq Madraswala, Navy senior Ben Mantica (Binghamton, N.Y.) got back on track with a 12-10, 11-8, 11-9 sweep over St. Lawrence's Alex Dodge at the No. 3 spot. Mantica owns a 7-4 all-time record in matches played at the team championship, winning four of his last five. Recording a 24-7 record this season, he has amassed an 88-30 career mark.

Earning his first CSA Team Championship win of his career was senior Justin Langan (St. Louis, Mo.). Playing the No. 4 position, Langan opened up with an 11-2 decision over Jermaine Xaba, but Xaba knotted the match with an 11-9 win in the second. Langan, however, would go on to win the next two matches, including an 11-1 decision in the fourth game to claim the win.

Finally, freshman Hunter Bouchard (Greenville, Del.) scored his first CSA Team Championship victory by turning back Michael Badali, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8. The win was the second of the season by Bouchard over Badali, as the two met up during the regular season. Bouchard now stands at 25-7 on the year.

The Mids will conclude play at the CSA Team Championship on Sunday when they battle Bowdoin in the 13-14 match. Navy defeated Bowdoin in mid-January, 7-2, at the Yale Tournament.

Feb. 20, 2010 • Navy 6, St. Lawrence 31.    Nils Mattsson (N) def. Scott Phillips (SL)      11-2, 11-9, 6-11, 11-62.    Amay Merchant (SL) def. Allan Lutz (N)          11-7, 9-11, 10-12, 9-11, 11-73.    Ben Mantica (N) def. Alex Dodge (SL)            12-10, 11-8, 11-94.    Justin Langan (N) def. Jermaine Xaba (SL)       11-2, 9-11, 11-3, 11-15.    Brad Seidel (N) def. Tyler Stout (SL)           16-14, 11-1, 7-11, 11-16.    Nick Pearson (SL)  def. Billy Abrams (N)        13-11, 11-8, 12-107.    Hunter Bouchard (N) def. Michael Badali (SL)    11-6, 11-7, 11-88.    Thomas Kraft (SL) def. David Koenig (N)         7-11, 1-9, 11-5, 11-89.    John Richey (N) def. Russell Woeltz (SL)        11-4, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9