Virginia Edges Yale in Come-From-Behind Win
BOSTON – The seventh-seeded Virginia men’s squash team (18-5) topped sixth-seeded Yale (9-8) in a Potter Cup consolation semifinal match at Murr Center Squash Courts on Saturday (Feb. 29). After falling behind 3-0, the Cavaliers rallied to take the come-from-behind win at 5-4.
Virginia dropped its opening three matches in positions six, seven and three to trail the Bulldogs early in the match. Junior William Braff (Locust Valley, N.Y.) put the Cavaliers on the scoreboard with an 11-4, 12-10, 11-5 win in position nine against Janson Chu. Sophomore Will Holey (Greenwich, Conn.) followed moments later with a 3-2 win in position five. He defeated Eric Kim 11-4, 12-10, 3-11, 8-11, 11-9 to move UVA within a point.
The Bulldogs pushed their lead out to 4-2 with a win in position two, but the Cavaliers found back-to-back points in positions four and eight to even the score. Freshman Peter Miller (Bryn Mawr, Pa.) went 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 in position four against Calvin McCafferty, while junior Andrew Braff (Locust Valley, N.Y.) rallied from a two-game deficit to capture the tying point against Jacob Rhee with a 10-12, 3-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 score in position eight.
With the score tied at 4-4, freshman Aly Hussein (Cairo, Egypt) captured a decisive 3-0 win for the match point. He defeated Spencer Lovejoy 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 at the top of the order to give UVA the win.
Virginia will play in the Potter Cup consolation finals on Sunday (March 1). The team will face fifth-seeded Rochester at 11:30 a.m.
Match Notes
• The Cavaliers recorded the program’s first win against Yale. Virginia moves to 1-2 in the all-time series against the Bulldogs.
• Aly Hussein remains undefeated in the Potter Cup. In addition to winning his matchup today, he won his match against Trinity on Friday.
• The Cavaliers captured a win against their highest ranked opponent in program history with Yale entering the tournament ranked sixth.
• Virginia is 3-0 this season in matches that end in a 5-4 score.
• In the past two seasons, the Cavaliers have seen 14 matches go to a 5-4 score and have won 12 of those matchups.
• Virginia will face Rochester for the first time in program history.
• The Yellowjackets advanced to the consolation finals with a 9-0 win over Drexel.
Virginia def. Yale 5-4
Order of Finish (6, 7, 3, 9, 5, 2, 4, 8, 1)
1 | Aly Hussein (UVA) def. Spencer Lovejoy (Y) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
2 | Nadav Raziel (Y) def. Omar El Torkey (UVA) 12-10, 11-4, 11-4
3 | Harrison Gill (Y) def. Cullen Little (UVA) 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8
4 | Peter Miller (UVA) def. Calvin McCafferty (Y) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6
5 | Will Holey (UVA) def. Eric Kim (Y) 11-4, 12-10, 3-11, 8-11, 11-9
6 | Jed Burde (Y) def. Toby Hansford (UVA) 11-8, 12-10, 11-6
7 | Tyler Carney (Y) def. Teddy Durfee (UVA) 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-2
8 | Andrew Braff (UVA) def. Jacob Rhee (Y) 10-12, 3-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5
9 | William Braff (UVA) def. Janson Chu (Y) 11-4, 12-10, 11-5