Every Tuesday, the table tennis club members storm the Linsey Multipurpose Room in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center to practice and refine their skills in preparation for their matches. Coach Vincent Liung critiques and molds nine regular players while advising and guiding the remaining 20 beginner-level attendees. For two hours, the team battles it out in a room barely big enough to fit 29 players, let alone the two tables they need for actual play. 

Shoved into this cramped room, the team prepares for the two Lower New England National College Table Tennis Association Divisional tournaments. Both men and women are invited to join the league and compete, ranging from first years to faculty players. While singles and doubles play are encouraged, most of the Judges’ matches fall into the singles category due to a lack of serious competition.

 The grueling season spans nearly the entire year, with the first tournament held in October and the second falling in late January. Top competitors from this round, such as Brandeis’ top player and vice president of the club Duong Nguyen ’17, advanced to the highly-regarded regional tournament held in late February.

President Ricardo Aguyo ’17 commented on the surprisingly exhausting pace of the game, saying, “You have to be on the balls of your feet, … jump and run and, … use more of your body and put all that force onto the ball.”

 This past year, the Judges were able to place third in the February tournament, beating powerhouses University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston University. 

The Judges ultimately fell to the top two teams in the division, Brown University and the University of Connecticut. The team garnered a disappointing one win combined against the two teams, a feat that, although deflating, is extremely tough to beat. 

The team set a record this year, making the regional tournament for the second year in a row. This year, the squad sent Nguyen to compete against the top table tennis players in the U.S. and Canada. Nguyen made it to the championship round, which consists of the top 32 players in the tournament. 

The Judges are looking to ramp up their program and send more quality players to the regional tournament next year. 

With the loss of their number two player, Li Xinyue ’16, the team will need to expand their recruitment efforts and continue to train during the long offseason. The Judges will need to rely on their number-three player, Lan Ngo ’16, to aid their efforts to dominate the league and exercise their skill. 

While the higher-level players tend to come with a more serious demeanor, the club carries a light atmosphere, with many beginners playing for recreational purposes.  The team management hopes to create a more serious environment and, so too, a more committed team.

With the team’s small budget, players are often stranded, waiting for one of the two tables to open up. This lag time lends to the laid back approach of the club, something that can be mitigated with the installment of more tables and a larger room. The team previously practiced in the Gosman Athletic Center, but were recently relegated to the Linsey room. 

Despite the continuing growth of the club and the recent success, the management has had trouble garnering financial support from the university. Balls, tables and coaching fees are crucial to the training necessities of the team and could pose a problem if the squad falls short of these requirements. 

As the season comes to a close, the team will look to continue their ascent towards the top of the division and train vigorously throughout the offseason to attain their goal of the number one spot.