Virginia Wins Potter Cup Consolation Final, Defeats Rochester
BOSTON – The seventh-seeded Virginia men’s squash team (19-5) won the Potter Cup consolation final over fifth-seeded Rochester (11-7) by a score of 6-3 on Sunday (March 1) at the Murr Center Squash Courts. The Cavaliers finished fifth in the tournament, marking the program’s best finish at the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championship.
Freshman Omar El Torkey (New Cairo, Egypt) opened the match with an 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 win in position two against Matthew Toth, but the Yellowjackets responded with a win in position four.
Junior William Braff (Locust Valley, N.Y.) went 11-8, 13-11, 11-4 against Alexander Riedelsheimer in position nine, while his twin brother Andrew Braff (Locust Valley, N.Y.) defeated Emilio Carrillo 11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6 in position eight to give UVA a 3-1 lead.
Senior Toby Hansford’s (Darien, Conn.) 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8 win in position six against Thijs Van der Pluijm moved Virginia within one point of the match win. Freshman Aly Hussein (Cairo, Egypt) would clinch the team victory, recording his third win of the weekend with an 8-11, 2-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 score against Ashley Davies in position one.
Freshman Teddy Durfee (Bedford, N.Y.) rounded out the match with a 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 3-11, 12-10 win in position seven against Sergio Martin.
“What a finish to the season,” head coach Mark Allen said. “Every single one of our players came up big this weekend and, with the wins over Yale and Rochester, we end the season as the No. 5 ranked team in the country. As you climb into the upper echelons of the college rankings, every position upwards represents significant progress and achievement, so for this team to put together the results that move us up seven spots from No. 12 to No. 5 is pretty unbelievable. They’ve played every match with guts and determination, and never once doubted in their ability to compete at this level.
“I’d like to take a moment to recognize fourth-years Harrison Kapp and Toby Hansford for all they have given. The two of them have played a massive role in all that we have achieved, and Toby’s fifth-game match (today) was a ‘Toby classic’ as he fought to the end and won a pivotal match in today’s victory.
Members of the Virginia men’s and women’s squash teams will head to the CSA Individual Championships. The three-day individual championship will begin March 6 in Philadelphia, Pa.
Match Notes
• The win over Rochester was the program’s first win against an opponent ranked in the top five.
• Virginia recorded its highest finish in program history, placing fifth in the A division of the College Squash Association Team Championships.
• Virginia and Rochester met for the first time in today’s match.
• Aly Hussein went undefeated in the tournament, winning all three of his matches at the top of the order.
• The Cavaliers finished the year with 19 wins, a program best since the team became a varsity sport in 2017.
Virginia def. Rochester 6-3
Order of Finish (2, 4, 9, 8, 6, 1, 3, 5, 7)
1 | Aly Hussein (UVA) def. Ashley Davies (UR) 8-11, 2-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-9
2 | Omar El Torkey (UVA) def. Matthew Toth (UR) 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8
3 | Abdelrahman Lasheen (UR) def. Cullen Little (UVA) 10-12, 11-4, 11-13, 11-7, 12-10
4 | Cesar Segundo Corona (UR) def. Peter Miller (UVA) 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3, 11-5
5 | Marcus Sim Wei Jie (UR) def. Will Holey (UVA) 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-2
6 | Toby Hansford (UVA) def. Thijs Van der Pluijm (UR) 9-11, 11-8, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8
7 | Teddy Durfee (UVA) def. Sergio Martin (UR) 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 3-11, 12-10
8 | Andrew Braff (UVA) def. Emilio Carrillo (UR) 11-9, 7-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6
9 | William Braff (UVA) def. Alexander Riedelsheimer (UR) 11-8, 13-11, 11-4
Exh | Tyler Mackesy (UVA) def. Quinian Jeudy (UR) 11-6, 11-6, 11-6,