Notable Efforts for Tech Spotlight CSA Team Championships

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Showing perseverance in its final team outing of the campaign, the MIT squash team fell to Northeastern University, 5-4, in its strongest effort at this past weekend’s College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championships hosted by Yale University and Wesleyan University.

Though eliminated from the win after dropping the first five games, the Engineers won the last four tilts of the consolation match with sweeps across the board. Robert Habib, Connor Kirschbaum, Joey Lemberg, and Ishaan Chugh all came away victorious for Tech on the scoring chart, while Sunny Long also swept with three shutout wins in an exhibition match.

Habib won in the sixth slot, defeating John Ghublikian, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6. Kirschbaum followed with an 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 win over Keith Sproat. In the eighth position, Lemberg beat Jose Maria Garcia-Planas Albert, 14-12, 11-6, 11-6. Chugh finished the scoring with an 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 win over Andrew Wilson.

Northeastern won the match with victories from Bose Majumder in the first and fifth slots, Pedro Souza in the second position, and Timothy Bandel and Warren Scott in the third and fourth spots, respectively.

MIT was eliminated from the Conroy Cup, D Division title when it fell to Wesleyan, 9-0, in the quarterfinals on Friday, though the Engineers picked up steam at points. In the sixth spot, Habib sparkled throughout, despite falling 11-9, 11-8, 11-7, to Lonnie Gibbs, while Lemberg, at No. 7, also shined in a 13-11, 11-5, 11-7 loss to Kyle Becker-MacKee.

In the No. 1 slot, Andrew Yoon stormed back in the second game in an 11-1, 13-11, 11-5 setback to Robert Broadfoot. Austin Anderson, at No. 3, also put in a good middle round, succumbing to Dale Kobrin, 11-5, 11-9, 11-2, in the third slot.

Competing in the No. 4 position, John Kucharczyk played well, falling to Nate Fowles, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6, while George Pratt, at No. 5, registered his best effort in the first game of a 12-10, 11-4, 11-4 loss to Brewster Lee.

Kirscbaum, meanwhile, had his strongest game in the third tilt of an 11-4, 11-5, 11-9 defeat to Luke Wherry, in the seventh position.

Rounding out the win column for Wesleyan were Matthew Candal and Shivan Bhaynani.

Tech also had its moments in a 9-0 loss to Georgetown University in the consolation semifinals. Pratt, Habib, and Kirscbaum each won a pair of games, while Michael Zomnir, in the two spot, and Chugh also picked up wins. Kirschbaum had rallied after an 11-0 loss in the first game, taking the next two, 11-7 and 11-9, before yielding to Jorden Zanazi. Chugh, meanwhile, took a quick lead on Paul Reilly, winning the first game, 13-11, before dropping the last three in a strong effort, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8.

MIT vs. Wesleyan University
Final Team Score: Wesleyan 9, MIT 0

1. Robert Broadfoot (W) def. Andrew Yoon (M), 11-1, 13-11, 11-5
2. Matthew Candal (W) def. Michael Zomnir (M), 11-4, 11-3, 11-1
3. Dale Kobrin (W) def. Austin Anderson (M), 11-5, 11-9, 11-2
4. Nate Fowles (W) def. John Kucharczyk (M), 11-8, 11-4, 11-6
5. Brewster Lee (W) def. George Pratt (M), 12-10, 11-4, 11-4
6. Lonnie Gibbs (W) def. Robert Habib (M), 11-9, 11-8, 11-7
7. Luke Wherry (W) def. Connor Kirschbaum (M), 11-4, 11-5, 11-9
8. Kyle Becker-Mackee (W) def. Joey Lemberg (M), 13-11, 11-5, 11-7
9. Shivan Bhavnani (W) def. Ishaan Chugh (M), 11-4, 11-3, 11-1


MIT vs. Georgetown University
Final Team Score: Georgetown 9, MIT 0

1. Michael-Henry Elghanian-Kragem (G) def. Andrew Yoon (M), 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-4
2. Patrick Trousdale (G) def. Michael Zomnir (M), 11-8, 11-13, 11-7, 11-5
3. Chris Ahn (G) def. Austin Anderson (M), 11-8, 11-9, 11-6
4. Henry Hoffstot (G) def. John Kucharczyk (M), 12-10, 11-5, 11-6
5. Robert Moore (G) def. George Pratt (M), 12-10, 5-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-6
6. Frank Hamilton (G) def. Robert Habib (M), 13-11, 6-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8
7. Jorden Zanazzi, (G) def. Connor Kirschbaum (M), 11-0, 7-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8
8. Anthony Imbesi (G) def. Joey Lemberg (M), 11-7, 11-9, 11-6
9. Paul Reilly (G) def. Ishaan Chugh (M), 11-13, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8


MIT vs. Northeastern University
Final Team Score: Northeastern 5, MIT 4

1. Bose Majumder (N) def. Andrew Yoon (M), 11-5, 11-5, 11-5
2. Pedro Souza (N) def. Michael Zomnir (M), 11-2, 11-5, 11-6
3. Timothy Bandel (N) def. Austin Anderson (M), 11-0, 11-2, 11-5
4. Warren Scott (N) def. John Kucharczyk (M), 11-3, 11-8, 11-0
5. Bose Majumder (N) def. George Pratt (M), 13-11, 11-4, 12-10
6. Robert Habib (M) def. John Ghublikian (N), 11-3, 11-9, 11-6
7. Connor Kirschbaum (M) def. Keith Sproat (N), 11-6, 11-7, 12-10
8. Joey Lemberg, (M) def. Jose Maria Garcia-Planas Albert (N), 14-12, 11-6, 11-6
9. Ishaan Chugh (M) def. Andrew Wilson (N), 11-5, 11-9, 11-9
Exhibition: Sunny Long (M) def. Daniel Hsu (N), 11-0, 11-0, 11-0