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TAKING A SWING - MEADIAsolutions player Trevor Mead Robins goes for the ball in his Tuesday Night Squash League match against Sophia Flather.

MEADIAsolutions lock down final playoff spot in squash league

It didn't come easy, but MEADIAsolutions will be playing in this year's Tuesday Night Squash League semi-final.

By Jon Molson on April 1, 2009

It didn't come easy, but MEADIAsolutions will be playing in this year's Tuesday Night Squash League semi-final.

On Tuesday, the squad came in with an opportunity to surpass Kilrich for the final playoff spot, needing at least 13 points.

The four players on MEADIAsolutions did one better, scoring 14 in their match against Ketza.

The bulk of the team's points came from Trevor Mead-Robins and Peter Mathur, who combined for 12 in total.

Mathur, who was the third player on MEADIAsolutions to see action on Tuesday, secured his team's post-season berth after he scored six points in a match against Sam Penner. The final score in the four game match was 5-9, 9-6, 7-9 and 7-9.

The two remaining point scorers were team captain Mark Tubman and substitute player Patti Flather.

The point breakdown in the Tuesday Night Squash League includes one point being awarded for a match win, one point for each game won, a point for officiating and a point for wearing the team shirt.

"We have been dead last pretty well all season," said Mead-Robins, who earned six points in his four game match against Sophia Flather. "Last year, we started first, we were first all season and we finished last. So this year we are trying the other direction."

Mead-Robins joked about the turnaround being a result of the team getting into shape.

"A lot of us have been really busy with job commitments, work commitments, political commitments, photography commitments," he said. "We all finally got over our hump in our schedule and were able to get back on board."

None of the players on MEADIAsolutions have won a Tuesday league squash title, but Mead-Robins is hoping that will end this year.

"All four of us would like to see at least one cup in our lifetime."

Kilrich was the only team that had a bye in the final week of squash play.

"We're in the hands of the Gods at the moment," said Chris Cullingham, one of the players on Kilrich. "We sort of need some other players to beat some other players."

Despite his team having the night off, Cullingham helped fill a vacancy on Roche Firth Financial. He scored five points for Roche in the team's four point win against Yukon Brewing.

Cullingham said one of his team goals was to make the playoff, admitting that it is partially his fault if it didn't happen.

"I forgot my shirt about five times," he said. "So if we are not in the playoffs it's going to be my fault because I didn't wear my shirt."

When asked if his teammates were the type to hold a grudge he said: "I hope not, but maybe. We'll see."

There is a common belief in the Tuesday Night Squash League with the first place team being cursed.

In 2008, that team was MEADIAsolutions, which was eliminated in the semi-finals.

"The curse of first, it bit us big time last year," said Mead-Robins. "We started first, we were first all season and we ended last."

Michel Gelinas, a member on top ranked Roche Firth Financial, isn't worried about about the 'curse of first.'

"I am not superstitious," he said.

For Gelinas, the Tuesday Night Squash League is more about having fun and camaraderie than it is about winning the title.

"That's what's the most important thing," he said. "Let's admit we will never earn a living playing squash, so it's for fun, for our physical conditioning and to be healthy."

Gelinas added it's nice to be in the playoffs.

"I think the playoffs are great because you can play two more weeks."

Playoffs in the Tuesday Night League will begin on April 14 with Roch Firth Financial facing MEADIAsolutions and Assante taking on Pizza Hut.

Ketza and Kilrich will play a consolation game for fifth and sixth place.

Assante finished in second place in the league standings with 283 points. On Tuesday the team defeated Pizza Hut 19-12


Assante 19, Pizza Hut 12

Richard Meredith and Lori Muir each scored six points for Assante, while substitute players Kenji Tatsumi and Kai Knorr chipped in the team's remaining seven.

Chris Zeigler was the top scorer on Pizza Hut with six points in total. Other Pizza Hut scorers included Terri Cairns, Jim Gilpin and Jeff Seaman, who each contributed two points.

Pizza Hut finished in third place with 268 points.


Roche Firth Financial 19, Yukon Brewing 14

Gelinas and Kyle Marchuk posted 12 of Roche's 19 points. The team's other scorers included Cullingham and Doug Thorseth. Thorseth scored two points in the win.

Stephen Grundmanis was the leading scorer for Yukon Brewing, notching six in total, while Jodi Tuton and Chris Toleman each finished with three. William Papenfus scored twice for Yukon Brewing.


MEADIAsolutions 14, Ketza 14

Scorers on Ketza included Phil Jackson, who finished with six points, Lara Lewis, five points, Sophia Flather, two points, and Sam Penner, one point.

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In other squash news, Better Bodies is preparing to host its annual Squash Thaw Tournament.

This is the largest squash tournament of the year and it will take place May 8 through 10.

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