WILLIAMSTOWN, MA (February 12, 2023) -- The Tufts University women's squash team outlasted Williams College 6-3 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Tournament semifinals to reach their second straight final. In the NESCAC title match, No. 1 Trinity College was able to clinch their 16th straight league title with a 9-0 win over the Jumbos.
In the opening match of the day,
Sanjana Vissapragada started the morning with a 3-1 win at No. 6 over Roshni Pal, fighting off a third game loss to pick up an 11-8, 11-2, 11-13, 11-2 win for the early Jumbo lead. After Williams tied the match at one, Tufts regained the lead with an incredible rally at No. 7. Senior
Isa Schneider dropped the first two games 11-7, but rallied all the way back to post a 7-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-5 and 11-9 win.
Minutes later, sophomore
Aleezah Burhan made the score 3-1 with an 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8 win over Amanda Solecki. Classmate
Nieve Monderer would put the Jumbos on the bring of moving into the finals with an 11-6, 11-6 and 11-2 at No. 5. The clinching victory would come at No. 3, as
Caroline Chin won in three games at No. 3 over Theresa Kay with scores of 11-8, 13-11 and 11-2 to send the the Jumbos to the finals.
Ellyn Xu would also pick up a four-game victory at No. 8, outlasting Mira Kamat 11-9, 11-13, 11-6 and 12-10. Earlier in the match,
Riddhi Joshi nearly rallied from two games down but would drop a heartbreaker 11-7, 14-12, 7-11, 9-11, 11-6 to Yu Quan Ng. Haley Jefferson knocked off
Vharsha Dinesh in three games at No. 1, while Williams also got a three-game win at No. 9.
In the finals against Trinity College, Tufts would battle as hard as it could but would fall 9-0 to the now 16-time NESCAC champion Bantams. At No. 9,
Ami Sao evened her match at a game apiece against Lily Taylor-French, but would eventually fall 11-9, 10-12, 11-3 and 11-1. Dinesh pushed Jana Safy at No. 1, but would drop an 11-8, 11-8 and 11-3 score.
Schneider also played one her best matches of the season against Fabiola Cabello at No. 7, but couldn't pull out the victory in falling 12-10, 11-8 and 11-6.
The Jumbos will turn around right away and play in the College Squash Association Championships next weekend in Philadelphia.
--JUMBOS--
