Molloy 'B' Division at Individual Nationals
Buchsbaum Finishes 9th
Henze finishes tied for 13-16th
Morris finishes 17th
Gruner finishes tied for 21-24th
Marks finishes tied for 21-24th
For full draws and scores click here
Williams top five Ethan Buchsbaum, Will Morris, Christian Henze, Will Gruner, and Nick Marks were all awarded a bid to the national individuals championship at Trinity last weekend. The weekend really belonged to the seniors. Buchsbaum and Henze, seeded #8 and #18 respectively, played great squash to cap off two stellar college squash careers.
Ethan had an easy Friday, earning a bye in the morning round of 64 and winning by default in the afternoon round of 32 after his opponent never showed up. Ethan was then unlucky enough to square off against Chris Plimpton, the eventual winner of the Molloy division, in the round of 16. Ethan played well, overcoming Plimpton’s superb shot-making to take the first 12-10. The next three were close but went to Plimpton. Ethan then stormed through Rishi Jalan of Cornell in a hard fought four games in the third round consolation bracket. Buchsbaum then beat the #4 seed Zeke Scherl of Harvard in a dominant three game performance to reach the finals of the third round consolation and to guarantee a top ten finish. Buchsbaum then had a tough match against Yale’s Naishadh Lalwani dropping the first in an overtime heartbreaker. Buchsbaum lost the next two leaving him in the 9th place in the B draw and 41st overall.
Henze didn’t have a bye in the first round and beat the eventual winner of the first round consolation draw Amay Merchant. Henze then faced Will Katz rival #3 from Bates to whom Henze had lost to twice earlier in the season. “I had a feeling I was going to get another shot at Katz” Henze said of his chance to avenge his previous losses. He shot out to an early lead and never looked back in the first game taking it 11-5, then he continued the momentum despite a redoubled effort from Katz taking the second 11-7. Katz managed to keep the ball off of Henze’s ferocious forehand in the third game which gave Katz the opportunity to take it 11-9. Henze then reestablished his pace and got up to a 10-6, an eerily similar situation to his match against Katz at NESCACs in which Katz came back from a 10-7 deficit in the fifth. But Henze steeled his nerves and sealed the match for a 3-1 victory. Henze then went on to play the #2 seed Jesus Pena from Princeton, and despite a spirited effort lost in three games. Henze then faced Trinity’s Reinhold Hergeth and lost in three games. “beating Katz and finishing better than my seeding really gave my season some closure, good way to go out.” Said Henze of his performance.
Morris was able to win the second round consolation earning him a 17th place finish. Gruner and Marks both lost in the quarterfinals of the second consolation.
