The Crimson squash team will travel to Cornell this weekend for a mediumtough match against an improved Big Red squad. The contest will be tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m.
As far as the Crimson is concerned, it would be difficult for Cornell not to be better than last year, when a powerful Harvard team swept through the afternoon without losing a game, much less an individual match.
But the Cornell number one man, Peter Moeller, reached the quarter-finals of the Invitational Intercollegiate Tournament in New York City over Christmas vacation, something no Crimson entry was able to accomplish. Peter Smith, Harvard's top player, could not be present at the competition, and Tony Lake, currently at number three, was retired in the third round, one before the quarters. Princeton junior Jimmy Zug defeated Lake. Zug plays number two for the Tigers.
Cornell had two other players in the tournament both of whom showed definite ability. Nevertheless, the true demonstration of squash power in New York was accomplished by Yale which put four men into the eight-contestant quarter-final bracket. With this sort of superiority, Yale will be hard to defeat this year, unless freak injuries remove most of the top nine players or the Crimson continues the improvement it has shown thus for this year.
This week-end's match will mark the first major road-trip before a varsity squash match for the five sophomores on the team, and the inexperience which so far this year has not been a detriment to the Crimson's success may well be more evident after the long plane ride to Ithaca.
Cornell has a new coach, Jess Blsson, who apparently has completely revitalized not only the top men but also those through the middle and the bottom of the team. And it is on depth, rather than outstanding performances by the top men, that the Crimson must depend this year.
Since Doug Poole has not yet returned to the College the Crimson will use the same lineup it employed against Army. Hampy Howell will play between Smith and Lake, followed by Bob Schwartsman at number four. Paul Sullivan will hold the five spot, followed by Roger Wiegand, Doug Walter, Clark Grew and Alec McDonell. Mac Gordon will make the trip as alternate.
