Louisville Colts v Nashville Crushers Match Preview
The first great NSL rivalry resumes Friday night as the Louisville Colts travel to Nashville to face the Crushers in what promises to be one of the most emotionally charged matches of the season. With a playoff berth still in play and a score to settle, both sides will be bringing everything they have to the court. As two of the league’s founding franchises, separated by just a three-hour drive, the matchup between these clubs carries a weight that few others in the league can match.
History has swung both ways. Louisville took the upper hand in 2024, but Nashville flipped the script in dramatic fashion in 2025, winning on an extraordinary last-point shootout that left Colts fans fuming and the squash world buzzing. You can still feel the sting in Louisville’s camp. Friday’s match is their chance at redemption.
The Crushers take the court at Montgomery Bell Academy — a fitting venue, given that head coach Dylan Cunningham also coaches the MBA program. Cunningham, a former Drexel assistant coach and HWR 100 standout, brings sharp tactical instincts to Nashville, particularly when it comes to calling powerplays. He was also instrumental in planning the 2024 NSL Draft and knows the league’s rulebook inside and out — an edge that shouldn’t be underestimated.
On the court, Nashville will look to two key contributors to fuel their attack.
Moustafa Elsirty is back for his second year with the Crushers. In his lone NSL appearance last season against Atlanta, Elsirty put up a staggering 39 points. Friday night could be the stage where he cements his reputation.
Ronald Palomino brings invaluable experience to this lineup. In his third NSL season, all of which have been spent with Nashville, Palomino is the heartbeat of this team. As a runner-up in the 2024 Finals, he knows what it takes to perform on big occasions. Notably, Palomino was present for Louisville’s 2024 win over Nashville after he was loaned to the Colts that season when Victor Crouin couldn’t make the match due to visa issues. He’s since returned home, and his familiarity with the Colts’ style of play could prove invaluable for Nashville’s preparation.
Jeremias Azana joins the Crushers for his second NSL season after spending his first with the Chicago Grizzlies. He’ll be looking to put last season’s rough outing, a record-setting blowout loss to Newport, firmly in the rearview mirror. Interestingly, Azana and Louisville’s Perry Malik were teammates in Chicago, adding another compelling subplot to this matchup.
The Colts arrive in Nashville with something to prove…and a coach who might be the most uniquely qualified person in the league to lead this charge.
Fernando Valdizan is not just the Colts’ coach in this match; he’s a co-founder of the NSL and served as its CEO for two years. Now on the sideline in a competitive role, Valdizan is the first non-squash player to serve as an NSL head coach. Does his unmatched institutional knowledge of the league give him a structural advantage over the competition? His opponents will certainly be keeping a close eye.
A 5.0-rated adult player who came to squash after college, Valdizan brings the perspective of a strategic thinker, a lawyer by trade and former college soccer player, rather than a career squash professional. He sees the game differently, and that may be exactly what the Colts need.
Louisville will field three of their available players on Friday. Here’s who to watch:
Leonel Cardenas makes his long-awaited NSL debut. A first-round pick from last season’s draft, Cardenas missed all of his first year with a concussion injury. Healthy and motivated, he arrives with two years of buildup and nothing to prove, which might make him the most dangerous player on the floor.
Perry Malik is another Chicago Grizzlies alumnus making the crossover to a new club. Like Azana on the other side, Malik endured that historic Newport blowout last season. Friday is a chance at a fresh start, and the matchup against his former teammate Azana gives this one an added personal dimension. Malik’s family runs deep in the NSL: his brother Curtis plays for the Philadelphia Lightning, and his sister Torrie suits up for the Sono Sharks.
Andrew Douglas rounds out the Colts’ options. A third-year NSL veteran, Douglas has worn several jerseys, first with Chicago’s Grizzlies and a championship-winning year with the Philadelphia Lightning. He’s now a sixth-round Colts draftee balancing a law degree at NYU with professional squash.
This match has every ingredient of a classic rivalry showdown: home court advantage, revenge motivation, former teammates squaring off, and coaches with contrasting but fascinating backgrounds. The Colts are hungry to erase the memory of that shootout loss. The Crushers are at home, buoyed by a coaching staff that knows every inch of the NSL rulebook.
Don’t miss it.
