Westover School’s Varsity Squash Team Earns 2nd Place Honors in Nationals

Westover School’s Varsity Squash players completed another impressive run at the U.S. Squash High School Nationals with a second place finish at this year’s competition on February 5, according to a press release from Westover School. This year marked sixth appearance at the competition.

Before losing in the championship round to the team from Middlesex School
of Concord, Mass., Westover’s Squash team had run up a winning string of
three matches at the High School Nationals competition. The competition took place from February 3 to 5 at Miss Porter’s School in Farmington. Westover’s team finished a strong second out of the 16 teams competing in Division III
play at the Nationals.

Along the way, two members of Westover’s team – at #1 Team Captain Jazmin
Matos ’12 and #7 Stuart Lemay ’14 – came away with 4-0 performances over
the course of their four matches during the Nationals weekend.

After their successful weekend at the Nationals, Matos and Lemay both
recalled the intensity of their feelings they experienced throughout the
competition – but with markedly different effects.

"During matches, I found I couldn’t contain myself," said Matos. "I was just too happy for everyone and how well we were doing."

For Lemay – playing in her first High School Nationals – the experience was more stressful. She said she was on edge throughout the weekend.

Coach JP Burlington praised the level of play that Matos, Lemay and
their teammates brought to the competition. Matos has had a season record
of 11-3, while Lemay, who moved up from JV early in the season, has
achieved a record of 10-1.

"We have a team made up of mostly veterans," Burlington said, with five seniors
on varsity this season, along with two sophomores and one freshman. Having
competed all season long in their league against schools with a lot of
depth of talent helped prepared Westover’s team for its matches at the
Nationals, he added.

Matos and Lemay cited Westover’s strong team spirit that kept the
members of the squad going throughout the competition, noting that they
were the only team at the Division III matches who sported face paint in
their team colors, the familiar Westover blue.

In fact, following the Nationals, the event coordinator complimented
Westover’s team spirit, writing in an e-mail to Burlington: "Seeing the
camaraderie among your team illustrated exactly what this tournament is
all about – great to see the face paint too!"

Burlington said the team’s overall performance at the Nationals, combined with
their overall play in league competition, puts them in a position to
finish strong this season with four matches remaining to be played. They
are building on a current record of 8-6, before the team goes on to
compete in the New Englands at the end of February.

Highlights of Westover’s Four Matches at High School Nationals

Looking strong and confident, Westover enjoyed a first round win 7-0 on
February 3 in its match against Pingry School of Martinsville, N.J. The
Wildcats earned 3-0 wins in all ladder positions except #3, where Ashley
Sanchez ’15 earned a 3-1 win after dropping her first game 14-16.
Alexandra Pape ’12, at #6, gave up only four points in her match.

In the second round, Westover came out firing on all cylinders versus
Episcopal High School of Alexandria, Va., on February 4, winning their match
6-1. The Wildcats again demonstrated excellent shot selection and patient
play.

The team had to earn their points as Episcopal was athletic and determined. Matos and #2 Jocelyn McKenzie ’14 came away with 3-0
wins.

Alexandra Pape secured the match win for Westover with her 3-0 win,
then #4 Sarah Krueger ’12 and #5 Bethany Simmonds ’12 both defeated their
opponents 3-1 in some hotly contested games.

Lemay found herself in a dogfight. After winning her first game 11-9, she dropped the next two.

Lemay dug deep to come away with the win in the final two games, 13-11,
11-8.

Later that day, the Wildcats earned the right to play for the Division III
Championship with a convincing 6-1 win over Mercersburg Academy of
Mercersburg, Pa.

Westover knew they had a fight on their hands as their opponents had hopes of avenging a 3-4 loss at last year’s Nationals.

Lemay and McKenzie put Westover ahead 2-0 with dominating
performances, both winning 3-0. Bethany Simmonds notched the third victory,
fighting her way to a 3-1 win.

Despite an admirable effort by Ashley Sanchez, who lost in four competitive games, the Wildcats had to wait until Matos disposed of her opponent in three games to decide the match in Westover’s favor.

Krueger added another victory defeating a very feisty and athletic opponent in four very close games. Pape was ahead in her match 1-0 and 7-3 when her opponent withdrew because of an injury.

In the Division Championship match on February 5, the Wildcats ran into a
strong and deep Middlesex squad who had only relinquished a total of six
games in their previous three matches at the tournament. Westover put
Middlesex to the test as Lemay notched Westover’s first win on the
day with a strong 3-0 performance.

McKenzie went on a roller coaster ride as she won the first game,
dropped the next two by close scores, won the fourth convincingly, but
couldn’t hold on for the win losing, 5-11 in the fifth.

The next Wildcats up, Ashley Sanchez and Krueger, faced formidable opponents and both lost, 0-3. Bethany Simmonds and Pape put their challengers to the
test, each stealing a game before 1-3 losses.

On the final match of the day, Captain Matos ’12, who was the second Wildcat to go 4-0 in her final High School Nationals, lost the first game, squeaked out a 13-11 win in the second, and then controlled the final two games of the match with a thoughtful and powerful play for a 3-1 win.

Westover’s U.S. High School Nationals Results

Championship Match Results: Westover (2) – Middlesex School (MA) (5)
1. Jazmin Matos vs. Julie Wolpow (9-11, 13-11, 11-4, 11-7) W 3-1
2. Jocelyn McKenzie vs. Jessica Perkins (11-3, 9-11, 10-12, 11-4, 5-11) L
2-3
3. Ashley Sanchez vs. Lindsey Kelt (11-7, 11-5, 11-3) L 0-3
4. Sarah Krueger vs. Emma Muresianu (4-11, 8-11, 7-11) L 0-3
5. Bethany Simmonds vs. Katie Bull (7-11, 11-9, 2-11, 7-11) L 1-3
6. Alexandra Pape vs. Olivia Dewey (10-12, 1-4, 11-4, 11-2) L 1-3
7. Stuart Lemay vs. Emily Berntsen (11-7, 11-8, 11-9) W 3-0

Third Round Match Results: Westover (6) - Mercersburg Academy (PA) (1)
1. Jazmin Matos vs. Sarah Allen (11-6, 11-9, 11-4) W3-0
2. Jocelyn McKenzie vs. Lanique Rhynes (11-6, 11-2, 11-9) W 3-0
3. Ashley Sanchez vs. Laura Rahauser (6-11, 13-11, 8-11, 5-11) L 1-3
4. Sarah Krueger vs. Vale Quan-Miranda (11-9, 13-11, 9-11. 12-10) W 3-1
5. Bethany Simmonds vs. Caroline Metz (8-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8) W 3-1
6. Alexandra Pape vs. Nina McIntosh (11-5, 7-3 ) DNF Injury W
7. Stuart Lemay vs. Kathleen O’Malley (11-2, 11-4, 11-7) W 3-0

Second Round Match Results: Westover (6) – Episcopal High School (VA) (1)
1. Jazmin Matos vs. Marion Williams (11-9, 11-8, 11-3) W 3-0
2. Jocelyn McKenzie vs. Weeza Miler (11-8, 11-6, 12-10) W3-0
3. Ashley Sanchez vs. Katie Harlow (5-11, 11-7, 9-11, 5-11) L 1-3
4. Sarah Krueger vs. Marshall Weisiger (11-5, 11-9, 10-12. 11-2) W 3-1
5. Bethany Simmonds vs. Elizabeth Buyck (8-11, 13-11,11-8, 14-12) W 3-1
6. Alexandra Pape vs. Mariela Mendoza (11-3, 15-13, 11-6) W 3-0
7. Stuart Lemay vs. Blake Richardson (11-9, 6-11, 9-11, 13-11) W 3-2

First Round Match Results: Westover (7) – Pingry School (NJ) (0)
 1. Jazmin Matos vs. Sarah Park (11-1, 11-4, 11-3) W 3-0
2. Jocelyn McKenzie vs. Stephanie Clark (11-4, 11-3, 11-3) W 3-0
3. Ashley Sanchez vs. Liz Herman (14-16, 11-3, 11-3, 11-5) W 3-1
4. Sarah Krueger vs. Allie Ruggerio (11-5, 11-3, 11-2) W 3-0
5. Bethany Simmonds vs. Liz Jolley (11-6, 11-4, 11-2) W 3-0
6. Alex Pape vs. Roxana Fietiel (11-3, 11-1, 11-0) W 3-0
7. Stewart Lemay vs. Kaitlin Ulke (11-2, 11-2, 11-4) W 3-0