Summoning her inner
“chi”, Ahn refused to lose another point.
Shaking off her sore arm, her upset stomach from her first American
food, her allergies to cats, and every other calamity in her young life, she
used her foot speed to grind away, carefully avoiding hitting balls down the
middle.  One more stroke call by the
referee would be the end of her, and she was leaving that peril for Clark.

Fighting back point by point, Ahn tied the game at ten, as
Clark withered in disbelief. Just as game four, Clark
then won the next rally, earning that elusive eleventh point; yet another match
ball.  However, this time the ending for Clark
would be…unfavorable, disappointing, enraging, inexcusable, devastating. The
kind of 12-14 fifth game loss that you never forget. The kind of loss that
marks your squash life, and propels you one way or the other.

Ahn Eun Chan went on to win a very tough five game final
against Zephanie Curgenven, traveling from England. Zephanie was pleased to make the final, upsetting
top seeded Netherlander Milou Heijden in a surprising quarter final. Hitting with admirable power “Zephe”
benefited from the hard front walls at the Commodore, forcing opponents to
pivot to the back rather than volley. Had she mixed in a bit more deception,
she may well have won the whole shebang. Funny how the two finalists met for
the first time in good old St. Paul, MN, just about half way between Korea and
England….  What a tribute to WISPA that
top pros will travel such long distances to gain precious rating points, as the
overall purse was modest.

Dave Rosen of sponsor Harrow Sports, after checking with
Accounts Receivable, decided to make the journey west from Baltimore to see what his best man Jeff Mulligan was up
to.  Jeff had recently taken on the long
coveted role of Head Pro at host club Commodore, having arrived with bride and
child from Atlanta, Georgia.  Alarmed by Jeff’s
reports of mosquitoes “so thick it was impossible to distinguish the ball”,
Dave came prepared with a ready smile, and extra Harrow
stock.

Knocking out defending champ Tournament Chair
John O’Brien in the first round of the A Doubles, Mr. Dave Rosen (“didn’t get
the memo”) otherwise showed exemplary style and class all weekend.  The A Doubles Final pitted friends as foes,
with Mulligan/Field facing Rosen/Lonnquist. A capacity crowd witnessed the
hardest hit balls since the National Doubles came through St. Paul in 1993. Sliding far forward in game four, Rosen
pulled something substantial. Limping badly, he still posed a formidable
threat, only losing 13-15 as the match tilted away.  Mulligan demonstrated the ferocity and form
that garnished him the current National Over 40’s Doubles Championship.  For the first time in twenty years, the A
Final of the Indian Summer Tournament did not feature a Hensel/Fairman/or Massey.  Herb Lewis and Greg Koalska prevailed in the
B Doubles Final, but only after Herb was dragged out of House of Hope church,
not aware of a time change. Eventually he will need to explain that to his Maker
(among other things).  Bob Bowman and
Eric Larson defeated Nadir el Sayeed and Bill Joanis in the C final 3-1, but
Bill Joanis had more fun than anyone else.
Don Theamert /GregKrueger beat Tomy O’Brien Jr./John Jasinski in the
Over 50 final 3-1, overcoming numerous shenanigans, and a cross eyed, wrong
headed, rule ignorant, inebriated referee.
Well done!

Jay del Carmen comfortably won the A Singles
Division 3-0, beating future state champion Matt Hildebrand (you read it here
first).  Games two and three were close,
with Jay using his mental toughness to end up winning both games 12-10.  Though a regular finalist, Jay had never won
the prestigious A singles Indian Summer title at the Commodore, despite being a
seven times state singles champion. Shortly after the tournament, Jay was to
tear his “other” Achilles tendon, and won’t be on court again until warm
weather.  Jeff May won the B final
against Paul Gamble, 3-1, a deserved match up, as both players had  more or less out hustled their prior
opponents.  Jeff has been steadily
improving on court.  He is an exceedingly
gracious opponent, and was well deserving of the finals win. In the C/D
division, Larry DeVore lost a finals squeaker to Pat Craig 1-3.   Tom
Evans, en route from California to hometown Monkton, New Brunswick, managed to swing through St. Paul hoping to win the tough Over 50 draw.  Once again he encountered a formidable
opponent in the final, last time Bostonian Willard Bigelow, this time sleeper cell
Edinian Jay Jackley.  For thirty years,
Jay has been one of the hidden squash jewels in MN.  Rarely playing in tournaments, but cordial,
in shape and with a nose to volley, Jay is always a tough match. Jay loves
working the high, tight rails, and then using his large body to secure
advantage on a straight volley drop. Maybe running half marathons “for fun” has
something to do with his success. Congratulations to all the singles players,
especially the champions.

The
Indian Summer Tournament has a well deserved reputation as one tremendous party,
with fabulous homemade food, a Gala, and, yes, a super squash tournament.  This year may have been the most fun ever,
which is saying a lot. Saturday night, after the scrumptious Gala dinner and
customary speeches by notables Charlie Mahar, Frank Fairman, Peter Syvertsen,
and Steve Shea, the handsomely dressed crowd descended to the cavernous, wood
and brick basement to hear Kevin Scanlon’s infamous Irish band, Highland Paddy rock
the Gala.  Feeling they were in an old
pub back home, the band cranked out saucy tunes to make an Irishman blush. In
an adjoining chamber, a casual fan could ponder WISPA pros playing pool, some
for the first time.  How can one WISPA pro
in particular be so very, very good at squash, and so bad at pool? Conversely,
how can we normal people be so good at pool, drinking beer, and Irish dancing,
and so comparatively bad at squash?  Ahh
me….

Special
thanks to the many Patrons and Sponsors who helped make the 2011 WISPA Indian
Summer Tournament possible with generous financial contributions.  Truly, it is simply amazing that our small
squash community has so many kind hearted people willing to give away hard
earned cash in a struggling economy for the benefit of us all.   Thank you to the players, many from out of
state, who came to Minnesota for this annual affair.  Thank you to the WISPA women, literally from
around the world, sharing their skill and passion for this sport we love.  Thank you to the many hosts, particularly
Cathy Walsh, who welcomed WISPA pros into homes, and helped schlep them hale
and yon, to and fro.  Thank you to Alvina
O’Brien for opening her home for the Gala, and to Amy O’Brien providing
delicious organic food and key logistical support.  Thank you Jeff Mulligan for elevating the
Commodore squash Club, and still fitting in!

John O’Brien

Here is the player tournament link: LINK On that link you will also be able to find the completed draws.   Here is a fun video of two of the women pros playing in a different tournament : LINK

Jeff Mulligan

Nationality: American

Resides: St. Anthony, Minnesota

Birthday: 1966-05-18

Occupation: Head Squash Pro, The Commodore Squash Club,
St. Paul, MN

Jeff Mulligan, as profiled by Squash Magazine, is considered one of the most
all-around athletic players on the ISDA tour. He retired from the full time
tour in 2009 but, his background in racquetball, as Junior National Champion,
as a top pole-vaulter at Arizona State University, and passion for golf, have
contributed to making him a well-rounded athlete. After careers in real estate
development and design in Denver, he decided to pursue his passion of coaching
and teaching sport. He spent four years at The New York Racquet and Tennis Club
as an assistant squash professional, and the Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta
as the head squash professional. This past June, he and his wife, Ashley, and
their son Fintan, plus their two dogs, relocated to the Twin Cities for Ashley
to start Medical School at the U. In his spare time, Jeff loves listening to
music, skiing, and golfing.

Career highlights

2002 US National Doubles finalist • 1999 O’Reilly Pro-Am
champion

2011 40 & over US National Doubles Champion

ISDA highlights

• 2 Kellner Cup semi-finals • North American Open semi-finalist

Highest World Ranking #4

On Friday,
June 10th, The Commodore Squash Club held it’s first ever Summer Soirée, and was
it ever a success! The members of Commodore provided the entertainment, food,
and fun. We had over 10 talented acts, which included performances with violins,
a clarinet, french horn, ukulele, piano, and voice. We also had a couple
speakers and even an impromptu solo piano piece from our own Ms. Alice O’Brien.

One of our speakers from the night, Rick Hauser, had this to say about
the evening:

“I think it’s great to get folks together—and then, to
boot, to learn a bit about the
“backstory” in every one of our lives. I
mean, who knew—? Clarinet?  French Horn?
Nabokov?”

To make the
night even more exciting, John O’Brien invited his long time friend, Marty
Fernandi, from New York to be the accompanist for the night. He even helped lead
a piano sing-a-long after the night’s scheduled performances
concluded.

As the host, I was so amazed by the hidden talent that was
exposed from our fellow squash club members. I only hope this night inspires
more to break out of their shell and join us next year for the 2nd Annual Summer
Soirée. I believe most of the viewers and performers would sum the night up in
this quote from Dr. Suess:

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile
because it happened.”
-Dr. Suess

Jacy Pelstring, Host

]]> http://commodoresquashclub.com/2011/01/planning-ahead-for-spring-2011/feed/ 0 http://commodoresquashclub.com/2010/08/10000-wdsa-indian-summer-tournament-nov-10-14-2010/ http://commodoresquashclub.com/2010/08/10000-wdsa-indian-summer-tournament-nov-10-14-2010/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:16:24 +0000 john http://commodoresquashclub.com/?p=1602 Continue reading →]]>

                                   Indian Summer 2010 Article

               The wise say “Three times a charm.”  This third year in a row of bringing the women of the WDSA Tour to St. Paul, with Special Guests John Nimick and Sharif Khan, proved the magic combination of fun and excitement for which patrons, sponsors and players had wished.  However, Father Winter could not resist dumping a foot of snow on the club just as Mr. Nimick was flying in Saturday, perhaps finally fed up with the “Indian Summer” moniker, but succeeded only in adding to the festival atmosphere and general good cheer.

          Wheelock Whitney kindly sponsored an Exhibition Match on Thursday night between Rob Hensel/Frank Fairman and Dawn Gray/Amy Milanek.  Though the women were favored to win by no less authority than the Tournament Chairman himself, the men were never really even challenged.  Winning three straight, and handily at that, one had to wonder just how big a factor sex plays in hardball doubles.  The men hit harder, recovered sooner, and played a more aggressive game.  Still, it looked as though the women were more skilled, but used to playing against other women, and “keeping the ball in play.”

          Stephanie Hewitt and “Nash”McElhinny won the Women’s Open, beating Narelle Krizek and Marci Sier three straight games.  Clearly, the game plan was to keep the ball AWAY from Narelle, who has never looked so strong, by exchanging endless rails along the left wall.  At times Narelle would cross over when Marci was forced to clear, which gave Narelle an opportunity to attack, but the back left corner did not leave many offensive options. The most exciting women’s match was the semi final, where Joyce Davenport and Karen Jerome took a surprising two game lead over the eventual champs. In doubles, fine shooters usually win, but with Karen’s leg acting up, the tin claimed their rightful victory.

          William Hartigan, playing in his first Indian Summer Tournament, romped to victory in all three of his events:  the A Singles, A doubles, and A Pro/Am. On loan from his Cornell University team, where he played #2 last season, William is quickly catching on to hardball doubles, and making quite a splash in Minnesota, his home for one year. Unflappable, he ripped off eight straight game point winners to close out game three of the A final, over a hugely frustrated, raging Dante Vargas.  Dante had spent much of the weekend in a cardboard box as part of a protest, and, with the afore mentioned snowy weather, perhaps not in top form. 

In A Doubles, against the wily and determined duo of Rob Hensel/Phil Ahern, Hartigan provided the “big brush” and John O’Brien the “finishing brush” in a hard fought 3-1 victory. Up two games, but losing 17-18 in the third, it looked for a moment that Hensel/Ahern might mount a comeback. Then, 7 year old Alice O’Brien presented Daddy a lucky hand knit charm marble pad during the break, wife Amy offered a good luck kiss, and William shrugged off the lost game as “playing a little tight.”  Grooving that support, O’Brien righted the ship opening game four with a marvelous return of service crosscourt drop shot winner, and Hartigan/O’Brien sailed to a convincing 15-4 victory.

          Sharif Khan deserved some credit for O’Brien’s first A Doubles Indian Summer Championship.  When asked over breakfast at the Day by Day what he would do to remain focused between points, he responded:  “Watch him!  Look for any signs of weakness: slumped shoulders, downcast eyes, quickened breathing. At the top levels, you want to remain stoic!  It’s a poker game out there, and you must not give in!” Delightful the entire weekend, Sharif played in three different draws, and caused more than one player to have “dry mouth, fear of fainting, a helplessness…” Rest assured, the Khan Mystique is alive and well here in Minnesota!  Sharif happily gave his time to SquashScholar kids, and put up with Patrons stealing his shots (Herb).  Modest, unassuming, gracious, Sharif was the consummate professional.  Unfortunately, the snow forced the cancellation of the Saturday Doubles Exhibition with Nimick, Stephanie, and Narelle, so fans were never able to see his still formidable top gear.

          Other matches of note were Charlie Mahar/ Nimick out slugging Karl Wirth/Russ Battisto 3-1 in the Over 50 Doubles.  How fun to see John Nimick’s beautiful swing again, and his soft feet.  His toast at the Gala, reflecting on the Commodore’s place in the squash universe was priceless.  Kitty Higinbotham, fresh off the Howe Cup, won the B Singles after a grueling 22-20 fifth game semi-final match!  Glenn Baron/Don Thaemert teamed up to win the B Doubles, and the Father/Son team of Ransom/Ransom won the C Doubles.  SquashScholar Mohammed Abde won the C Singles without dropping a game. 

          The Gala at Alvina O’Brien’s Grand Hill home was absolutely fantastic.  Not only was the food sensational, but the violin and viola music, the candles, wood fires, and, yes, plentiful beer, put everyone at ease.  Charlie Mahar once again made his hysterical toast, describing the women as “warm fuzzies” on the outside, and “merciless cutthroats” on the court.  He complimented Mr. Nimick on winning the Fargo Open.  Christine DeRose of Denver spoke eloquently on how important the Women’s Tour is for our country. Sharif recalled the hardball singles Tour of old, and the O’Brien/Khan connection going back now thirty years.  Frank Fairman was VERY FUNNY talking about squash and marriage. Peter Syvertsen had everyone in stitches noting the piano being tuned all day and the Tournament Chair fielding phone calls while refereeing doubles. Alvina O’Brien closed with a gracious nod to the spectators of squash, and counts herself one of the world’s best.  It was a lovely evening, marking a lovely tournament.

          Naturally, credit is due to the many, many people who helped make this tournament possible.  If it weren’t for the Patrons, Sponsors, and Friends, the Commodore Squash Club would not have been able to create what has to be one of the friendliest tournaments in America. 

Thank you,

John O’Brien

Tournament Chair

Patrons:                           Sponsors:                         Friends:

Wheelock Whitney           John Lonnquist                Eric Larson

Harry Walsh                    Tom Evans                      Paul Bischel

Tim O’Brien                    Glenn Baron                    Steve Gadient

Christine DeRose             Alvina O’Brien                Dick Nicholson

Herb Lewis                      Peter Syvertsen                Bill Scott

Frank Fairman                                                         Ben Ransom

Charlie Mahar

Hendrickson Family

Steve Shea

Hartigan Family

Rob Dinerman 2010        

WDSA ARTICLE http://www.wdsatour.com/ARTICLESBLOGS/2010Articles/StPaulIndianSummer2010/tabid/193/Default.aspx      

Draw Link!

http://www.tennisinformation.com/tourny/5/1/9/8/8/4/2/draws.asp

A – Bob Massey & Rob Hensel

B – Bill Scott & Rob Trousdale

C – Amy O’Brien & Colin McGuire

50+ – Glenn Baron & Herb Beer

Thanks to all of you who played in the event, and for your cooperation with the scheduling challenges and especially with the refereeing!  (I don’t recall seeing any “meltdowns” on the court, which we can all do without

Special thanks to John O’Brien and the Commodore Squash Club for hosting and running a great event on behalf of the MSA.  We truly appreciate all of his efforts and hope you did too.  We would also like to thank and recognize our sponsors: CNC Mortgage (Carlos Gutierrez) and Premium Waters (Bill Scott).  And we would be remiss if we didn’t thank the two clubs with Doubles courts – The Commodore and the Minneapolis Club, with out which we wouldn’t have you players!  (Please support our sponsors!)

On behalf of the MSA, we truly hope you enjoyed the event and the weekend of activities.  We would love to hear from you of what you liked, disliked, would change etc.  We can’t improve on the tournament and your experience without your feedback!  Feel free to call or e-mail me or any of the other MSA Board members (on the cc: line) or funnel your comments through John O’Brien or Bob Massey.

All of the results of this weekend matches can be found at: on-line at: the following link: http://www.tennisinformation.com/tourny/5/1/9/5/7/0/3/draws.asp

 Thanks again for playing in and/or watching this year’s State Doubles!

Paul Bischel
612-207-5325

On behalf of your MSA Board – Ho Taft, Jay DelCarmen, Paul Bischel, Mike Wendorf, Kitty Higinbotham, and Carlos Gutierrez

          A nice article reporting on the WDSA Pro women can be found here: http://www.wdsatour.com/ARTICLESBLOGS/2009Articles/2009IndianSummerOpenStPaul/tabid/161/Default.aspx

          The first heavy drops of a late Minnesota Indian Summer thunder storm hold the promise of something really exciting.  Such was the feeling on Wednesday Night, when five local doubles matches kicked off the 2009 Indian Summer Tournament.  One didn’t know what to expect, but as that first ball was served electricity filled the air.  A mighty storm of fun was on the way!

        Thursday Night featured a much ballyhooed Exhibition Match between current State Doubles Champions Frank Fairman /John Lonnquist vs. Narelle Krizek/Marci Sier. Though the women were gracious suffering a decisive 3-0 defeat, it was clear Narelle was not in good health, and Marci had lost a tough Pro/Am match an hour prior.  Furthermore, Marci and Joyce Davenport coached a Junior Clinic with players from SquashScholars, who were a strong force in the lower divisions.  Frank and John were in top form, and the women offered no excuses. Still, a rematch is clearly warranted. Happily, Alvina O’Brien’s delicious homemade spaghetti filled everyone up!

          Friday was the first day all the pros were in town.  Both the Commodore and the Minneapolis Club were hopping as the pros played Pro/Am matches, as well as their first round pro matches. Many of the singles players from out of town arrived, and the competition on court was fierce.  Tom Evans from Moncton, New Brunswick, and Willard Bigelow, from Boston, MA, both came to Minnesota to burnish their Over 50 National Rankings.  Willard, a #1 teammate of Tournament Chair John O’Brien at Tufts University in the early 80’s, played in three separate events. He demonstrated the same skill, toughness, and, yes, mercurial temper, which made him such a force on the collegiate level.  Winning the Over 50’s against Tom, and making it to the finals in the A Singles, Willard had enough gas in the tank to buy Alice and Lucy lovely stuffed animals.

          Jamie Brown, of Denver, and Tim Zimmerman, Cincinnati, also flew to Minnesota to test the local waters.  A formidable national doubles team, Brown/Zimmerman won the injury riddled Over 50 Doubles Draw, but ran into a determined foe in the A semi.  Bob Massey has never been so FAST.   Maybe laying off summer softball (as in baseball) helped his squash speed, because his cross court running was exceptional. Peter Jackson, forever leaning like the Tower of Pisa, got smacked in the nose when a little too close to his opponent’s reasonable back swing.  Brushing it off after securing a bandage, he couldn’t wait to return to the game.  Prevailing 15-12 in a thrilling fifth, Jackson/Massey moved on to the Final. There they were met by Fairman/Lonnquist, who are playing the best squash ever. In years past, Lonnquist has relied on his power, but this tournament he brought a more nuanced game.  As he explained: “I think the new front wall is softer than the old.  Blasting away isn’t as effective as it used to be.  I am forced to use more touch shots. I like it!”

          The prestigious A Singles was won by Damon Bourne, of Madison Squash Workshop.  He had a great tournament, focusing on his singles game, and avoiding the slings and arrows of Hardball Doubles.  No amount of coercion would lure him into the “vexing” doubles game, even after his good friend Eric Drier needed a last minute substitute. Damon is a solid doubles player, but wanted to keep his eye on the title that had eluded him in the past.  He commented:   “…to my surprise, not one of my three tough matches was against a player from Minnesota!”  He particularly enjoyed playing Kelsey Engman, one of the women pros who dropped into the draw, and noted that he could not let up on her for one moment or he would certainly lose. Damon played a smooth game, recovered quickly to the “T”, and kept Willard under pressure.  One sensed that, had Willard been fresh, the match may have been much closer, but 2009 belonged to Damon. Damon’s gracious sportsmanship was a pleasure to behold, and Madison is fortunate to have him.

          The Pro Matches are well described in Rob Dinnerman’s Article, but the Pro/Am matches, as well as the B,C, D  Singles and B,C Doubles deserve comment.  All sixteen Pros had an Am pairing, and there were both an A and a B Pro/Am.  The A Pro/Am was won by Fairman/Beechill 3-1 over O’Brien/Milanek, primarily due to some lowball trash talking at the Gala.  To quote Frank: “I hope that when the day comes you do beat me, the match will still be relevant”. Reverse psychology comparable to his reverse corners!  Hendickson/Jerome won the B Pro/Am 3-1, when Herb Lewis finally tired of carrying Stephanie Hewitt. The B Draw was dominated by strong players from the University of MN, with Seong Oh defeating Lorenzo Mangolini in the final. When those two friends compete, usually Lorenzo gains the upper hand. Perhaps the cooler courts at the Commodore worked to Seong’s advantage. A steady Matt Nelson defeated Matt Archibald in the C final, with the 3-1 match going to the mat. Simon Adams won the D Singles by Default, unfortunately, when his opponent, James Dodson, needed to head home to Chicago to deal with a pressing family matter.  It was an anti-climactic win, and would have been a fascinating match. Too bad, as Mr. Dodson arranged this one last tournament, with his junior children in tow, before a scheduled shoulder operation. Bill Scott/Dave Hutchinson won a small B Draw: very unusual, as the B Draw traditionally is the largest. The C Doubles Final was a tough five gamer, won by Zelle/Gregerson.  They were successful in the last game against crowd favorite Amy O’Brien/Kitty Higinbotham by deliberately sticking to a strategy of hitting the ball deep, over and over again.

          The Saturday Night Gala at Alvina’s house was worth the price of tournament admission.  How nice that she would open up her beautiful home to a bunch of rag tag squash players from around the country!  Rag tag?  Oh no, no, no. You would not have recognized the fine, well mannered, properly coiffed people attending, who, in some cases, only hours before were at each other’s throats.  If our larger world could come together so peacefully!  What a pleasure to mingle with all the pros, and to thank the many sponsors who made the tournament possible.  The dinner itself was scrumptious, and there was plenty of wine.  However, the tournament chair grossly underestimated the prodigious quantities of beer said people like to consume, and the keg ran out! Perhaps it was a good thing, but next year, that will not happen.

          Special thanks are due to the members of the Tournament Finance Committee:  Frank Fairman, Herb Lewis, Charlie Mahar, Brad Palm, and Bill Whitaker.  Without their support and leadership, the pros would not have returned to St. Paul in 2009.  Christine DeRose of Denver, who as a Patron came to support her friend Narelle, put up a ferocious fight in the Pro/Am.  Christine had won a Pro/Am in Chicago, and after the Indian Summer, won a second in New York. Her financial support and friendly presence were instrumental in making the tournament a success.  Also, Don Mills returned to help with the logistics of running so large a tournament. His sage advise, expert racquet skills, and lovely manner set a tone of excellence, and was greatly appreciated by all. 

 Draw: :  http://www.tennisinformation.com/tourny/5/1/9/1/9/3/2/draws.asp

      Not that anyone was counting, but the Commodore prevailed 19-17 in total games scored, though the matches were a tie. ”The Minneapolis Club put forth a very strong, well-coached team,” said John O’Brien. Minneapolis will have the chance for redemption in Minneapolis December third.

Commodore Team:  James Narr*, Paul Adams, Robert Trousdale, Kitty Higinbotham*, Herb Beer, Jeff Gajdostik, Amy O’Brien, Ernie Steck.

Minneapolis Club Team:  Bob Massey*, Charlie Hornig, John Hinck, Matt Nelson, Rob Lawrence, Tedd Stark, Alex Haecker, James Kent.

* Denotes Captain

December 3rd Update: Some modest shifting in the lineup, but more great fun.  Commodore ekes out a secoond team win 19-16! Thank you Minneapolis Club for the fine lasagna and good time.

 Commodore Team                                            Minneapolis Team

 A)    Kevin Scanlon                                             I)  Rob Hensel

B)    James Narr                                                J)  Bob Massey

C)    Paul Adams                                               K)  Charlie Hornig

D)    Robert Trousdale                                        L)  Matt Nelson

E)     Kitty Higinbotham                                       M)  Rob Lawrence

F)     Herb Beer                                                   N) Mr. Mallery

G)    Amy O’Brien                                               O) James Kent 

H)    Ernie Steck                                                 P) Mike Brehm

The Indian Summer Tournament at St. Paul’s Commodore Squash Club has long been regarded as the biggest event in Minnesota squash, regularly attracting the state’s largest singles and doubles draws. The 2008 tournament, Nov. 12-16, built on this success by bringing the Professional Women’s Doubles Squash Association (WDSA) tour to St. Paul for the first time. Vying for a $10,000 purse, fourteen of the world’s best female hardball doubles players brought their dynamic play and impressive shot-making to the Commodore doubles court.

“What an incredible weekend,”said John O’Brien, Owner of the Commodore Squash Club and Chair of the Indian Summer Tournament. “The women pros were absolutely amazing, not only on court, but as ambassadors off court as well.”

Pro play kicked off on Friday, Nov. 14, with a match between the duo of Amy Gross and Michelle Quibell, both former members of Yale’s powerhouse singles program, and a team pairing Canada’s Marci Sier with Joyce Davenport, one of the United States’ most decorated squash players. Playing together for the first time, Davenport and Sier lost the first game 10-15 but continued on to take the next three sets (15-12, 15-7, 15-11) for the win and the chance to play the top-seeded team of Steph Hewitt, a 2006 World Doubles champion, and Jess DiMauro, winner (with Natalie Grainger) of the first WDSA event, among many other doubles championships.

On the other side of the pro draw, Dana Betts and Marie Vlcek, also first-time doubles partners, were matched up against Amy Milanek and Cairn Meek. Though the games were tight at 15-13, 15-12, and 15-11, Betts and Vlcek won in three. Lauren Doline and Nadio Jomo were slated for a late match against Fiona Geaves, former WISPA No. 5, and her partner Meredith Quick. Geaves and Quick had won the 2007 U. S. Women’s together, and a delayed flight and resulting start time of nearly 10 p.m. didn’t prevent them from earning their first win (15-9, 15-3, 15-6) at the Commodore.

Saturday matches saw DiMauro and Hewitt prevail over Davenport and Sier, who took the first game before their opponents gained steam and won the semifinal in four (12-15, 15-4, 15-11, 15-9). Living up to expectations, Geaves and Quick earned their place in the final, beating Betts and Vlcek (15-8, 15-10, 15-7). The much anticipated matchup of DiMauro and Hewitt against Geaves and Quick provided a fitting finale for doubles action.

The DiMauro/Hewitt team came out strong, Hewitt using a very consistent reverse corner to capitalize on conservative left-wall shots from Quick. DiMauro displayed the court agility for which she is known, driving many of the points while taking her own opportunities to put the ball away.

“I was surprised with my level of play on the left wall,” said Hewitt, who contended not only with the skilled Quick, but also with the demanding off-court schedule dictated by her 1-year-old daughter, who accompanied her to St. Paul. “I kept expecting Meredith to take advantage of my mistakes, but she played deep shots and opted for the crosscourt when I thought she might shoot. As a result, I had good chances to take my shots.”

After earning only 6 points in the first game, Geaves and Quick built some momentum, kept the score close in the second, and won the tie-break with a lob and nick out of the back wall. With the first two games split 15-6 and 15-16, it seemed that Geaves and Quick might be back in the match, but despite improved shooting from the pair, including a number of strong cross-court volley-drops into the left nick by Geaves, DiMauro and Hewitt responded in kind, reestablishing their dominance and winning the last two games 15-5 and 15-10.

“The women who played in the final are among the top players today, and matches like these demonstrate the strength of women’s squash,” said Sier. “These athletes are the best at their game, and their amazing play gives people the chance to see for themselves the quality of professional squash. I hope that it was inspiring, too, for the many amateur players who were on hand to watch.”

Draws for amateur titles included nearly 100 matches in Men’s A, B and C singles draws; Men’s A, B and C doubles; and an entertaining WDSA Pro-Am draw. In the Men’s A draw, first seed Darrell Cole of Fort Frances, Ontario, made his return to the Indian Summer final in a match against the Commodore’s Tony Lusiba, the second seed. Whereas Cole played his way to the final by beating Vinh Chung, James Narr and Frank Fairman in three games, Lusiba took a harder path, winning his first match in three but going five against Damon Bourne of Madison, Wisc., and Matt Hildebrand of the University of Minnesota Squash Club. In the final, the two big men had a good battle, but an untiring Cole outplayed his opponent (9-3, 9-3, 9-5) to earn his third Men’s A title at the Commodore. Bourne won the Men’s A consolation with a win over Kanwal Kumar.

Josh Gonzales of Thunder Bay, Ontario, took the Men’s B singles final with a win in four over David Von Hemert of Providence, R.I. Hemert made his way to the final easily and did rally for a 10-8 win in the second after losing the first game 2-9 to Gonzalez. The younger Gonzales reasserted himself in the third and fourth games to win the match 2-9, 10-8, 9-3, 9-5. Paul Bischel earned the Men’s B consolation with a 9-2, 9-8, 9-4 victory over Roger Sexter of Minneapolis.

Ten players competed for the Men’s C title, and Michael Tippett pulled out the final, winning one game and then losing two to Jeff Gajdostik before winning a tie-break in the fourth and maintaining momentum in the fifth for a 9-4, 2-9, 4-9, 10-8, 9-4 win. The Men’s C consolation was a battle of brothers, with Oliver Adams taking the upper hand against Simon Adams with a game-one tie-break win and pressing this advantage for a final score of 10-8, 9-4, 9-4.

Amateur doubles matches took place at both the Commodore Club and the Minneapolis Club. Men’s A Doubles play pitted top-seeded Frank Fairman and John Lonnquist against their 2007 final opponents, Rob Hensel and Bob Massey, whose victory last year represented their 13th Indian Summer A Doubles title. After the Hensel/Massey team won the first game 15-11, Fairman and Lonnquist responded, winning the next two games. Hensel and Massey, however, recovered to take the last two games and earn their 14th title 15-11, 12-15, 7-15, 15-9, 15-9. Also notable in the Men’s A Double was the early-round match that saw the Glenn Baron and Kevin Scanlon take on the duo of John O’Brien, tournament chair, and the legendary Don Mills, visiting from Cincinnati. Baron and Scanlon won in four before falling to Fairman and Lonnquist. Greg Koalska and Greg Krueger earned the Men’s A Doubles consolation title.

The team of James Narr and Bill Whitaker met with John Mullin and Kanwal Kumar in the Men’s B Doubles, exchanging the first two games. With more reliable winners throughout the match, Narr and Whitaker were able to take the final in four games and upset their top-seeded opponents. Tomy O’Brien and Gordon Hendrickson won the Men’s B consolation round. With both teams earning finals berths with close four-game semifinal matches, Charlie Zelle and his partner David Gregerson overcame No. 1 seed Herb Lewis and Fred Speece to earn the Men’s C Doubles title 15-6, 17-14, 15-11. Amy O’Brien and Kitty Higinbotham won the Men’s C Doubles consolation.

The pro-am draw included 13 teams and featured numerous four- and five-game matches, with Sier and Bill Whitaker going five against top-seeded DiMauro and Herb Lewis before meeting and defeating Gross and Dave Hutchinson in the final.

“The secret to our victory was my gutsy partner, who played winning nicks when the score was 13-13,” commented Sier. “I was sweating while Bill hit those shots, but he was a champ under pressure.  We clicked really well and were able to adapt our game if our opponents picked up on things. We laughed a lot, enjoying playing squash and working hard for every ball. Getting to know Bill also gave me the chance to learn more about Minnesota and the squash community here. I really appreciated the warm atmosphere at the club and how involved everyone was in making the tournament a success.”

In addition to providing inspirational play in WDSA and pro-am matches, the pros provided on-court instruction for local players. Don Mills also taught some on-court lessons during the tournament, most notably besting John O’Brien 15-11, 12-15, 15-9 in a singles hardball exhibition played with 40-year-old Bancroft wooden racquets. Earlier in his career, Mills was world champion in softball and hardball singles. Mills today is best known for his prowess as a coach, and throughout the Indian Summer Tournament, players enjoyed the benefit of his experience and his willingness to teach.

The Indian Summer Tournament Gala, a distinguished tradition that sets the Commodore’s fall tournament apart from the rest, brought players and their guests together to enjoy dinner, conversation and live music. Hosted by Alvina O’Brien at the stately O’Brien family home in St. Paul, the gala was a highlight of the weekend. Guests took advantage of the event to get to know one another better and to exchange stories from the courts.

“The lovely gala at the O’Brien home added so much to the tournament,” said Sier. “The entire weekend had the feel of a family affair, and it was clear throughout the weekend and at the gala, in particular, that this is a very close and welcoming squash community.”

2008 INDIAN SUMMER NATIONAL WDSA ARTICLE:
http://www.wdsatour.com/ARTICLESBLOGS/20082009Articles/StPaulIndianSummerWrapUp/tabid/131/Default.aspx

2008 Squash Talk Article

http://www.squashtalk.com/html2/news08/dec/news08-12-657.htm

The Commodore Squash Club thanks the following individuals for sponsoring the 2008 Indian Summer Tournament: Patrick Turner, Brad Palm, Charlie Mahar, Alvina O’Brien, Terry, Gordon, and Larry Hendrickson, Herb Lewis, Tom Allen,  Harry Walsh, Glen Baron, Adam Preston, Dave Hutchinson, Tim O’Brien, Bob Geist, Steve Gadient, Frank Fairman, John Nimick, Bill Scott, and Carol Pine

Below are the latest photos from the 2008 Indian Summer Tournament!

Draw Link: http://www.tennisinformation.com/tourny/5/1/8/2/6/5/0/draws.asp