Fordham started its competition Saturday against Bard, a team Fordham beat twice back in November. For the third time this season, Fordham managed to shut out Bard. Fordham was the beneficiary of a 3-0 lead, because Bard had only six players for the match. The early advantage did not matter much, as all six players managed to sweep their Bard counterparts in three games.
Next up for the Rams was Vermont, which also played without a full roster. The one win by default let Fordham play comfortably with a lead, and the players responded with great success. Only sophomore Paul Monaghan lost for Fordham. Playing in the third spot, the team captain fell to the Catamount captain, Ned Smith, in three straight games.
After commanding victories in the first two rounds, Fordham was sent to the championship match where it faced a familiar opponent. Just last week, Fordham defeated Vassar 8-1 at home and now these teams were facing off for the championship. The Rams repeated their performance and defeated Vassar 8-1.
Junior Ross Garlick played in the seventh position after rolling his ankle last week. He was able to play on Saturday and won in four games, 11-5, 3-11, 11-3, 11-8. “I was pretty nervous, but I had the ankle well strapped,” said Garlick about playing competitively for the first time since the injury. “Initially I played cautiously, but as the match progressed I was so engaged that my ankle didn’t even cross my mind.”
Fordham’s no. one, sophomore Kincade Webster, had the only loss in the championship match. Following a tough 14-12 loss in game one of the set, he lost 11-8 before winning game three 11-9. Webster could not manage to bounce back and fell in the fourth game, 11-7.
With the tournament win, the team improved its record to a respectable 9-9. Fordham will travel up to Cambridge, Mass. next weekend. Harvard is hosting the annual College Squash Association National Team’s Championship. Sixty-one teams will be competing in eight divisions. The last week of the season will determine where the team will start in the rankings next year.
