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After a season of constant movement up the rankings, the
Huskies qualified for the "Summers Division" for
teams ranked #17-#24 at the CSA Championships. The Huskies
have moved 9 spots up this season from #33 last year to their
current spot at #24. Just two years ago at this stage, they
were ranked #44 and hadn't won a match. Last season, the squad
won the Chaffee Division National Championship to finish #33rd.
This season, the team's stellar play and wins against Wesleyan,
Middlebury, and Haverford vaulted the Huskies over an entire
division of varsity teams (4th bracket for teams #25-#32)
and into the 3rd bracket. Getting into the 3rd bracket at
Nationals in only their third year as a program is a huge
accomplishment.
The Huskies played #17 Tufts first round Friday and lost to
the top seed 9-0. On Saturday Northeastern had a rematch with
#20 Conn College but found themselves on the wrong
end of a 5-4 loss. This was the second time this season
the Huskies lost 5-4 to Conn College. The match was in the
Huskies hands with only 2 points needed in the 4th game of
the #5 match, but it slipped away.
After the disappointing loss to Conn, the Huskies still had
a chance to improve on their ranking and avenge an earlier
season loss to Colby on Sunday. Playing their best squash
of the year, the Huskies took care of Colby
with a convincing 6-3 win. This win gave the Huskies the
#23 finish at Nationals and a chance to move up in the final
year end rankings that come out later this week.
The win over Colby marked the 5th time this season the Huskies
have beaten a team ranked higher than them. It is also the
6th time this season the Huskies have beaten a Varsity program.
Chris Birkins, Khurram Khan, Clayton Quarles, Darius Wilsey,
all went 2-1 on the weekend to help pace Northeastern to the
23rd place finish.
Program Records Set this season:
Highest National Ranking: #23 (previous #33)
Most Team Wins in a Season- 8 (previous record:
4)
Most Individual Wins in a Season- 12, Khurram
Khan and Clayton Quarles (2 players are at 11)
Most Individual Career Wins- 15, Chris Birkins
(2 players are at 14)
click here for draws from Nationals
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