|
| Diya Sanghi picked up a three set win in the fouth position for the Jumbos. |
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Tufts University women's squash team began competition in the College Squash Association (CSA) National Team Championships today with a 7-2 win over William Smith College. The Jumbos are the #3 seed in the Walker Cup Division while the Herons of William Smith College are the sixth seed.
Tufts improves their overall record to 9-10 and they were ranked 19th in the latest national poll. Their win today guarantees a top 20 national ranking, but they also remain in contention for a first-place finish in the Walker Cup Division. William Smith College falls to 15-4 on the season and will fight for a possible fifth-place finish in the consolation rounds.
Jumbo senior co-captain Claire Davidson defeated Marcela Marquez in the first position. After dropping the first set 6-11, she fired back with scores of 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 in the final three sets. Sophomore Natalie Bartlett in the seventh slot also won in four games with scores of 11-9, 9-11, 14-12, 11-8. The Jumbos' remaining wins would all be in three games. Sophomore Diya Sanghi at #4 posted scores of 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 and junior Rachel Windreich won 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 in the fifth position. Junior Chloe Kantor at #6 and freshman Abhilasha Bhasin at #8 posted identical scores with their three-set victories of 11-1, 11-4, 11-8. Junior Radhika Joshi rounded out the Jumbos' line-up in the ninth position where she defeated Karina Lazaro 11-7, 11-6, 11-5.
Freshman Isa Schneider in the second position and sophomore Megan Chen at #3 put up a good fight, but came up short in five sets. Schneider was defeated 3-11,12-10,8-11,11-6,11-6 by Gabrielle Fraser and Chen fell 10-12,11-5,6-11,11-7,11-6 to Joana Pacheco.
After today's victory the Jumbos advance to the Walker Cup semifinals and will play tomorrow at 9:30am versus the #2 seed Franklin and Marshall College. The winner of that match will advance to the Walker Cup finals and an opportunity to play for 17th nationally. After falling to the Jumbos today, William Smith College will play in a consolation match vs Dickinson College at 9:30am tomorrow.
