Men’s Nationals Results – CHAFFEE CUP CHAMPIONS!

For the second time in 10 years, The Huskies have won their division at the CSA Nationals and brought the Chaffee Cup back to Northeastern!

Feb 14
NEU vs. Haverford College (40): 8-1 WIN

Feb 15
NEU vs. Tufts University (36): 5-4 WIN

Feb 16
NEU vs. Boston College (34): 5-4 WIN

The first round of competition was played at Belmont Hill School vs Haverford College. The Huskies defeated Haverford by a convincing 8-1 margin. Junior TJ Dyer fell in the first game 5-11, but responded by winning the next three games to take his match 3-1. Freshman Evan Jacobson, freshman Daniel Blohm, and junior Greg Berson all won their matches in three games. Senior co-captain Stan Berenshtein and sophomore Baxter Wathen won their matches in four games, including an 11-0 bagel in the fourth game by Stan. Freshman Asad Kamal struggled with the heat of the courts, but eventually adjusted and overcame Haverford’s Jonathan Nguyen in 5 games. The Huskies were off to Northeastern for their next round of play.

At the Badger-Rosen Squashbusters Center, the Huskies faced off against a tough and well-trained Tufts University. Every point was highly contested and no player on either side gave any quarter. Once again, the bottom of the ladder pulled through for the Huskies with wins coming from positions 5 through 9. Greg Berson played a grueling match diving and lunging for every ball. He came off the court without an ounce of breath left, but was able to defeat Tuft’s Brandon Weiss 11-4, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6. Dan Blohm, Baxter Wathen, Louie Sitwell, and Asad Kamal recorded impressive 3-0 wins to propel the Huskies to the finish line. Louie Sitwell held is opponent to a total of 11 points while Asad Kamal recorded his first bagel of the season for his third game. Middler Joakim Karrlson recorded a well-played 3-0 victory for the exhibition match.  This tight win set the Huskies up for a spot in the finals – against long-time rivals Boston College.

The Husky Men were heading to Harvard’s Murr Center where the atmosphere was incredible. Hundreds of fans cheering at the top of their lungs for their home schools. The Huskies felt confident going into the match, having previously defeated BC 6-3 and 7-2 during the regular season. However, the Eagles came out strong, winning two of the first three matches at the #9 and #3 spots. Nerves played a big role for the Huskies during the beginning stages of the match. Dan Blohm was the only victory at first, defeating Kilbourn Gordon 3-1 and sending the fourth game into a long and grueling 18-16 win for Dan. The next set of players Greg Berson, Evan Jacobson, and Louie Sitwell went on court to bring the Huskies back into the lead. Louie Sitwell fought hard, but was unable to overcome Robert Bohn. Evan Jacobson lost the first two games 11-8, 11-9 and returned to court with a renewed spirit winning the next two games 11-8, 11-4 to send the match to 5 games. In the 5th, it was a point-for-point battle, but BC’s Sam Henderson came out on top. Knowing the stakes, Greg put on the performance of a lifetime, diving for every point, and eventually beat Ted Glick 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 to keep the Huskies hope alive. The team was down 2-4 and the next up to courts were TJ Dyer, Stan Berenshtein, and Baxter Wathen – each had to win their matches to take home the coveted trophy. Baxter won his match the quickest, beating Colton Hardman 11-4, 11-8, 11-5. Next, Stan Berenshtein dispatched Senior BC Co-Captain Nick Gadsden 11-4, 11-6, 11-5. Now the Huskies have tied BC 4-4 and TJ Dyer was battling at the #1 position. In an unimaginably close match, TJ defeated Milo Watanabe 11-7, 15-13, 12-10 and after his last point the Huskies rushed the court, raising TJ up on their shoulders in what was an amazing display of athleticism, dedication, and mental toughness. This year’s team truly came together and made a lasting impression on the competition with their truly inspiring come-from-behind victory.

GO HUSKIES!

Featured Image: TJ Dyer is hoisted into the air after winning the decisive match for the Huskies to clinch the title.