PRINCETON, N.J. - Franklin & Marshall College, the top seed in the Walker Cup division of the College Squash Association Team Championships, rolled past the Tufts University women's squash team 9-0 in a semi-final match played at Princeton University on Saturday morning.
The Diplomats (7-12) will face Amherst College for the Walker Cup championship on Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. The Jumbos (16-7), who entered the weekend as the #5 seed in the Walker Cup, have an opportunity to finish third in the bracket when they face William Smith College on Sunday at 8:30 am.
The Jumbos, ranked 21st nationally, ran up against a strong Franklin & Marshall squad that is #17 in the nation. The Diplomats posted seven of their eight victories in three games.
The most competitive match was at #7 where Tufts sophomore Chista Irani was defeated by F&M's Clare Tompkins in five games. Irani was up 2-1 before Tompkins won the fourth and fifth games and took the match 9-11, 11-1, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6.
Otherwise, the Diplomats were dominant. The ninth contest went four games with F&M's Liana Zranchev winning 5-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-4 over Tufts junior Gabi Salomon. The closest three-game match was at #3 where Jumbo freshman Catherine Shanahan scored 24 points in a loss to Lauren Johnston 11-8, 11-8, 11-8. Junior Lauren Banner played competitively in an 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 loss in the fifth match.
Fiona Murphy was particularly sharp for the Diplomats, scoring an 11-6, 11-2, 11-2 win in the top spot. Ellen Verry posted an 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 victory at #4 for the Diplomats.
The William Smith College squad that Tufts will face on Sunday is 14-7 overall following an 8-1 Walker Cup semi-final loss to Amherst today. The Herons are the sixth seed in the division and the #22 ranked team in the nation. They upset third seed and #19 Bowdoin 5-4 in the opening round of the Walker Cup on Friday.
Tufts and William Smith have not played previously this season. The Jumbos defeated the Herons 5-4 during the 2015-16 regular-season.
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