Smith’s club Squash team achieved their first win this season against Bard College on Nov. 20, a victory that came as quite a surprise to the team.
Playing as a club team in the Collegiate Squash Association can make wins difficult because the team often plays against varsity teams with more resources, time and funding, as well as a system of recruitment that pulls players with a lot of prior experience.
President of the Squash team, Zoe Kruse ’23 explained her stance on the win. “I think we are mostly in it for fun. We didn’t expect to win, but that said, it was a good surprise to give us momentum going into the season”.
Many students joined the team without having played a racquet sport before, but they have shown potential. The majority of wins in the game against Bardcame from new players. Kruse also said that COVID caused many teams, like Bard and Vassar, to fall behind in playing skills and recruitment, which has helped level the playing field.
Amrita Acharya ’23J talked about team dynamics. “Winning against Bard is a really big deal because it shows the strength of a lot of our new players as well as the quality of Zoe’s captainship. The players we have this year are the most committed players that we have ever had.” The team also makes efforts to come together off the courts. AsMylia Marshall ’23J said, “we all work really well together and are great friends, and the team environment is chill and supportive.”
The Squash Team’s next match will take place Jan. 29 and 30 at home against Wellesley, Bard and Mount Holyoke. Acharya said, “it would be really nice to gain exposure for our team. I want the Smith community to be aware of it so that it can grow in the future and so that they can see how fun of a sport it is.”
Follow the Squash Team on Instagram @smithpioneerssquash for more updates!
