WELLESLEY - The Tufts women's squash team won 9-0 at Wellesley College on Friday night to open their 2011-12 season. The Jumbos defeated the Blue 6-3 last year and improved upon that final by three wins tonight.
The final score was not an indication of the competitiveness of the match. All but three of the nine matches went to more than three games. Tufts first-year Paige Dahlman (Denver, CO) debuted by winning the fifth game 12-10 to take her #3 match. Classmate Ann Bellinger (Arlington, VA) also won in five at #4, as did junior Risa Meyers (New York, NY) at #7. She came back from down two sets to win.
Four-game victories for the Jumbos were earned by senior co-captain Alyse Vinoski (West Hartford, CT) at #5, senior Jennifer LaCara (Huntington Station, NY) at #6 and by junior Hafsa Chaudhry (Westwood, MA) at #8.
Opening the season as the #1 player for the Jumbos, junior Jessica Rubine (Cranston, RI) won three challenging games. Senior co-captain Mercedes Barba (New York, NY) had an easier time in a three-game win at #2. Junior #9 Madison Newbound (Williamstown, MA) also won in three.
Coach Belkys Velez's Tufts team continues its opening weekend with matches against Smith and Mount Holyoke tomorrow.
Tufts 9, Wellesley 0
1. Jessiac Rubine (T) def. Emma Haley (W) 14-12, 12-10, 13-11
2. Mercedes Barba (T) def. Sara Del Balzo (W) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4
3. Paige Dahlman (T) def. Lilly Tyson (W) 6-11, 11-4, 11-4, 6-11, 12-10
4. Ann Bellinger (T) def. Margo Sulmont (W) 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6
5. Alyse Vinoski (T) def. Haley Vasquez (W) 11-7, 11-1, 6-11, 11-9
6. Jennifer LaCara (T) def. Alexandra Spiliakos (W) 5-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9
7. Risa Meyers (T) def. Cara Kaufman (W) 11-8, 8-11, 11-13, 14-12, 11-5
8. Hafsa Chaudhry (T) def. Jen Hsu (W) 11-8, 14-12, 9-11, 11-8
9. Madison Newbound (T) def. Stephanie Lee (W) 12-10, 11-4, 11-4
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