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| Abhilasha Bashin posted a three-set win for the Jumbos today. |
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - In a closely contested battle in the Walker Cup Division semi-final rounds of the College Squash Association (CSA) National Team Championships, the Tufts University women's squash team pushed Franklin and Marshall to the limits with four matches going into five sets. Ultimately it was not enough for the third-seeded Jumbos as they were edged 4-5 by the second-seeded Dipolmats on Saturday morning.
The 19th-ranked Jumbos are now 9-11 on the season while the 18th-ranked Diplomats improve their winning streak to five and are 12-9 overall.
Tufts would win four positions today in three sets and one in a competitive four set match. Freshman Abhilasha Bhasin cruised to a three set victory in the ninth position while only allowing six points to her opponent with scores of 11-2, 11-3, 11-1. Sophomore Diya Sanghi also posted an impressive three set win at #5 when she defeated the Diplomats' Samira Sankaran 11-6, 11-5, 11-7. In the sixth slot junior Rachel Windreich swept Pratiksha Mishra in close sets with scores of 11-9, 11-9, 11-3. In the only four set match of the day sophomore Megan Chen at #4 defeated Katherine Galambos in competitive match. Chen came out strong winning the first two sets 11-8 and 11-9 before dropping the third set 7-11. She was able to stay focused and finish the match with a 11-9 win in the fourth set.
Senior Claire Davidson, freshman Isa Schneider, and junior Chloe Kantor all came out hot in the first set, but would ultimately lose in five set battles. Davidson fell 11-7, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6, 3-11 to Audrey Berling in the first position, Schneider at # 2 posted scores of 11-8, 11-4, 10-12, 6-11, 2-11, and Kantor was handed a 11-4, 9-11, 9-11, 11-3, 6-11 loss in the seventh slot. In one of the most competitive matches of the day, sophomore Natalie Bartlett was edged by Grace Smith in five sets with scores of 6-11, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8, 12-14. Senior Catherine Shanahan had the only three set loss for the Jumbos when she fell to Emily Bartos in the second position.
The Jumbos move to a consolation match tomorrow (Feb. 23) at 11:30am where they will face NESCAC opponent and #4 seed Wesleyan University. The winner of this match will finish third in the Walker Cup Division and 19th nationally, while the loser will finish 20th in the nation and fourth in the Walker Cup Division. Tufts is 2-0 versus Wesleyan this season and last faced the Cardinals in a 8-1 victory during the NESCAC Championships on February 8th.
Franklin and Marshall advances to the Walker Cup finals against #1 seed Amherst at 8:45am tomorrow.
