CLINTON NY (February 15, 2026) -- The No. 11 Tufts University women's squash team posted a big upset in the 2026 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) semifinals, topping second-seed and No. 7 Amherst College 5-4 before falling in the conference title match to No. 6 Trinity College later in the day Sunday. For the Jumbos, it was their fifth straight appearance in the NESCAC title match, falling to the now 19-time conference champions each time.
Match 1: Tufts 5, Amherst 4
The Jumbos played a thrilling match in the semifinals with Amherst, a rematch of a regular season match that also was a 5-4 decision in favor of the Mammoths.
With the match tied at three wins apiece, junior
Chloe Bergam dropped the opening game at No. 6 but rallied to pick up a big 5-11, 11-7, 11-7 and 13-11 win to put the Jumbos ahead. After Amherst tied the match back up at four wins apiece, it came down to the No. 1 position and senior captain
Vharsha Dinesh.
In the final match to be played, Dinesh controlled the action in the first two games and fought off a charge from Mammoth No. 1 player Quincy Cline to put the Jumbos in the conference championship game with an 11-5, 12-10, 6-11, 11-6 win. For Dinesh, it was her 10th straight victory while improving to 11-3 overall on the year.
Tufts also got big wins at No. 3, 4 and 5 as sophomore
Sohni Vermani earned a thrilling five-game win over Kanzy Elkaliuoby 3-11, 11-9, 11-7, 8-11 and 11-3. First-year
Ella Hill only needed three games to knock off Alexandra Brown 11-6, 11-7 and 11-4, while
Anika Goyal won her 13th match of the season with an 11-8, 12-10, 11-7 win at No. 5.
#11 Tufts University 5, #7 Amherst College 4
2/15/2026 at Clinton, NY (Little Squash Center)
1.
Vharsha Dinesh (TUFTSWSQ) def. Quincy Cline (AMH) 11-5, 12-10, 6-11, 11-6
2. Anastasiia Krykun (AMH) def.
Maria Arseniev (TUFTSWSQ) 11-4, 7-11, 11-4, 11-9
3.
Sohni Vermani (TUFTSWSQ) def. Kanzy Elkaliuoby (AMH) 3-11, 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-3
4.
Ella Hill (TUFTSWSQ) def. Alexandra Brown (AMH) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4
5.
Anika Goyal (TUFTSWSQ) def. Kristen Daniel (AMH) 11-8, 12-10, 11-7
6.
Chloe Bergam (TUFTSWSQ) def. Yana Sharma (AMH) 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 13-11
7. Fionnoula Brandon (AMH) def.
Sejal Virk (TUFTSWSQ) 11-6, 11-5, 11-5
8. Kate Grissom (AMH) def.
Indira Moshi (TUFTSWSQ) 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 16-14
9. Brigid Brandon (AMH) def.
Anika Parr (TUFTSWSQ) 11-5, 11-8, 11-6
Exh. Ella Miller (AMH) def.
Sora Karanja (TUFTSWSQ) 11-5, 11-5, 10-12, 11-8
Match 2: Trinity 8, Tufts 1
In the NESCAC title match, the No. 6 ranked Bantams saw the Jumbos give them an exciting match as five of the nine matches needed at least four games.
The Jumbos got their lone win from Dinesh, who continued her dominant play over her senior season, topping Thanusaa Uthrian 11-5, 4-11, 11-8 and 11-9 at the top position.
Junior
Maria Arseniev won her first game against Kara Lincou, but would drop a four-game tilt with scores of 6-11, 11-9, 11-3 and 12-10. Vermani fell 8-11, 11-4, 11-7 and 11-8 to Varvara Esina after earning the opening game.
Goyal had a thrilling match at No. 5, as she pushed Varvara Kliueva to five games before falling 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 3-11 and 11-6. Bergam fell in four games to Elisenda Ferrer 12-10, 12-10, 11-13 and 11-2 in another tight match.
The Bantams and Jumbos have met in the NESCAC title game the last five seasons, while this is the first time Tufts has taken a match off the 19-time NESCAC champs. It also was just the fourth time in the 19 years of the NESCAC Tournament that Trinity has dropped a match.
Tufts will now await its final draw in the College Squash Association National Team Championships March 5-8 in Philadelphia at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.
#6 Trinity College 8, #11 Tufts University 1
2/15/2026 at Clinton, NY (Little Squash Center)
1.
Vharsha Dinesh (TUFTSWSQ) def. Thanusaa Uthrian (TRIN) 11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9
2. Kara LIncou (TRIN) def.
Maria Arseniev (TUFTSWSQ) 6-11, 11-9, 11-3, 12-10
3. Varvara Esina (TRIN) def.
Sohni Vermani (TUFTSWSQ) 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8
4. Fabiola Cabello (TRIN) def.
Ella Hill (TUFTSWSQ) 13-11, 11-6, 13-11
5. Varvara Kliueva (TRIN) def.
Anika Goyal (TUFTSWSQ) 11-9, 11-13, 11-9, 3-11, 11-6
6. Elisenda Ferrer (TRIN) def.
Chloe Bergam (TUFTSWSQ) 12-10, 12-10, 11-13, 11-2
7. Kitsy Fox (TRIN) def.
Anika Parr (TUFTSWSQ) 11-0, 11-4, 11-3
8. Zaynab Khan (TRIN) def.
Sora Karanja (TUFTSWSQ) 11-3, 11-6, 11-3
9. Milena Velychko (TRIN) def.
Mafi Pinot (TUFTSWSQ) 11-5, 11-0, 11-8
Exh. Zaina Zaidi (TRIN) def.
Bridget Schutt (TUFTSWSQ) 11-5, 11-1, 11-3
--JUMBOS--
