SEASON RECAP: Men's Squash

For almost any other team at Harvard, the type of year that the No. 2 Harvard men’s squash team put together in 2005 would rank among the best in school history. But for the Crimson men’s squash team, this season will largely be remembered for what could have been rather than what was.

Harvard (11-2, 6-0 Ivy) finished the year ranked No. 2 in the country and won its second straight Ivy title—its 36th in school history. Its only two losses came to the national champion and perennial squash powerhouse Trinity, which has now won an unprecedented 125 straight matches.

But the Crimson came into the 2005 campaigns with bigger aspirations. After falling to the Bantams in the 2004 CSA Team Championships 5-4, Harvard returned seven players to its lineup and was prepared to wrest the title away from Trinity.

“We had such high expectations coming into the year,” junior Will Broadbent said.

The Crimson breezed through the early part of its schedule—shutting out its first six opponents. But even with all of the early success, health became an early issue for the squad. Junior Will Broadbent, who was projected to play at No. 1 for Harvard and challenge for the No. 1 national ranking, felt hampered by first a sore knee and then a strained hip. He never fully regained the form that saw him advance all the way to the CSA Individual Championships in 2004.

Like Broadbent, sophomore Siddharth Suchde battled injuries throughout the year. Suchde played through a tight hamstring during much of the season and never found a dominant rhythem.

“[Injuries] definitely played a role in it,” Broadbent said of the inability for the team to find a pace. “Squash is such a demanding sport on your body. An injury can really be devastating for your season.”

Even with all of the injuries, Harvard secured its second straight Ivy title. Playing without Suchde and Broadbent at Princeton, the Crimson narrowly escaped disaster when freshman Chessin Gertler won the deciding match 3-2 to give Harvard the 5-4 victory.

The following week, the Crimson put the finishing touches on its perfect Ivy campaign by beating Yale 6-3.

“The Ivy championship has always been our first goal,” said senior Michael Blumberg after Harvard defeated the Bulldogs. “Playing like everyone [played against Yale] really means a lot. Everyone seem[ed] really fired up about going out there.”

The Crimson then turned its attention solely towards Trinity. But just as it did in 2004, the season ended in disappointment.

Playing in front of a raucous crowd at the Murr Center, Harvard dropped the CSA Team Championship match to Trinity 7-2. With his hip still bothering him, Broadbent dropped down to the No. 4 slot on the ladder and easily defeated his opponent Yvain Badan. But only Blumberg could muster another victory for the Crimson, and Harvard ended 2005 still looking up at the Bantam dynasty.

“The season was a little bittersweet,” Broadbent said. “We had a lot of promise coming off of 2004.”

The challenge will be the same for next year’s Crimson squad. Without Blumberg and captain Asher Hochberg, Broadbent, Suchde, and sophomore Ilan Oren will be forced to carry more of the load. If Harvard stays healthy and matures, then the 2006 season may finally end with total satisfaction for the Crimson.

—Staff writer David H. Stearns can be reached at stearns@fas.harvard.edu.