It would have taken more than scouting at a practice for Jesse and Aliza Richman to defeat two-time defending champion, Penn State president Graham Spanier and his partner, Fredina Ingold, in the Intramural racquetball championship.

"On Friday, Jesse and I were spying on President Spanier practicing," Aliza said. "He looked up and thought we were just being friendly students, but we were actually scouting him."

At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Rec Hall, Spanier and Ingold set out to capture their third consecutive IM racquetball championship. About 15 fans squeezed in the observation window to watch the match and the proud parents of the brother-sister combination cheered their son and daughter on as they competed against Spanier and Ingold.

"The Richmans were really good," Ingold said. "They were the toughest competition we've faced."

The Richmans were ahead in the first match 5-4, but that was the last time they would have the lead. From then on, it was all Spanier and Ingold. Spanier and Ingold won the first match 15-6 and the second match 15-3.

"We didn't really have a strategy going into the championship match," Spanier said. "We made one up as we went along."

Ingold said that the only way she and Spanier were able to prepare for the match was to watch the Richmans warm up minutes before the match.

Ingold and Spanier have been playing together for eight years and have competed in the IM racquetball tournament for four years. Ingold and Spanier said it is difficult to practice together because they both have very demanding schedules. The teammates said they can only play a few times a month together, but they practice more often on their own.

"President Spanier is the reason I started playing racquetball again," Ingold said.

Ingold said that she quit racquetball eight years ago when she gave birth to her child, but Spanier encouraged her to start playing again.

"There is something you should know about my partner," Spanier said. "Fredina is a World and U.S. racquetball champion." Ingold, the Director of Athletics at Penn State Altoona, said she won the gold medal in the National Doubles and she was the Senior Women's World Champion in 1985.

"Our strategy was to hit the ball to President Spanier," Jesse said. "Anytime Fredina touched the ball, we just had to defend it."

Jesse, champion of the IM fraternity division, and Aliza said they have only been playing together for two months.

"My brother is very competitive and demanding on the court," Aliza said. The Richmans said that they had a lot of fun playing against great competition and having the opportunity to play against Spanier was very exciting despite the loss.

Spanier said he enjoys the racquetball tournament and he takes pride in his three championship victories.

"It feels great being the IM racquetball champion," Spanier said. "I love it."