Banner Season: Queen's women, Western men squash the competition to extend championship winning streaks
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. (via Brock Badgers) - The Western Mustangs men’s squash team captured an unprecedented 37th consecutive championship at White Oaks Resort & Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Sunday.
The Queen’s Gaels women also extended their banner streak to six consecutive championship titles.
The Gaels compiled an overall a 24-4 record in matches en route to overcoming second-place Waterloo. The Gaels’ Marlow Benson defeated Harriet Ho by a score of 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-7) in a thrilling match. Waterloo finished as silver medalists while the Western women took home the bronze.
Individually on the women’s side, Marlow finished undefeated for the Queen’s Gaels at 12-0 earning her not only the OUA Women’s Rookie of the Year, but also the MVP title as well. The impressive first-year went 4-0 in her games from the number one position.
“Over the course of six years we’ve developed a reputation of success,” said Queen’s head coach Lisa Coates. “Marlow is very creative when she plays, but also extremely aggressive. When I go to coach her between games a lot of it is her coaching herself, because she has incredible mental toughness.”
Western dominated the tournament with a match record of 25-3. The Waterloo Warriors finished at 17-11 to claim silver ahead of the bronze medalist Toronto Varsity Blues.
Leading Western to their 47th overall banner were Matthew Henderson and David Mill, who were both named OUA all stars.
“It’s an honour for all of us to be a part of something bigger than ourselves,” said Mill. “To be able to continue the Western Squash legacy is something special that we will remember for the rest of our lives. As captain of the current Western Mustangs, I’d like to dedicate our 37th title to Jack Fairs and all of the Western squash players who came before us.”
For the silver medalist Warriors, Cameron Seth was named the OUA Men’s MVP finishing with a 4-0 record. The top rookie for men’s squash went to the Waterloo’s Neel Ismail.
The coaches of the year went to Coates of Queen’s on the women’s side while Marisa Seth of Waterloo was named the top men’s coach.
Women’s Standings (Overall record)
Queen’s 4-0
Waterloo 2-2
Western 4-1
Toronto 2-4
Brock 2-2
McMaster 1-3
Guelph 0-4
Men’s Standings (Overall record)
Western 4-0
Waterloo 2-2
Toronto 4-1
Queen’s 2-3
Guelph 2-2
McMaster 1-4
Brock 0-3
Men’s MVP
Cameron Seth, Waterloo
Women’s MVP
Marlow Benson, Queen’s
Men’s Rookie of the Year
Neel Ismail, Waterloo
Women’s Rookie of the Year
Marlow Benson, Queen’s
Men’s Coach of the Year
Marisa Seth, Waterloo
Women’s Coach of the Year
Lisa Coates, Queen’s
Men’s All-Stars
Cameron Seth, Waterloo
Alexi Gosset, Toronto
Matthew Henderson, Western
David Mill, Western
Ravi Seth, Waterloo
Vincenzo Prior, Brock
Women’s All-Stars
Marlow Benson, Queen’s
Rhea Dhar, Toronto
Amy Commisso, Western
Olivia Waite, McMaster
Amelia Knapp, Queen’s
Charlotte Copas, Waterloo
