Ephs Fall to Harvard & UVA

Cambridge, MA –– ­Today, the Williams Women's squash team made the trek to Harvard where they took on the Crimson players as well as UVA. For today, a five-court system was used. 

First up was Haley Jefferson (#2), Co-Captain Melissa Swann (#4), Quan Ng (#5), Mira Kamat (#8), and Alex Pear (#10). Despite their best efforts, there was not much that Jefferson and Co-Captain Swann were able to do today and lost the match in three straight games. Ng fought hard; she had a couple of game balls in the second game against her opponent but was unfortunately unavailable to convert them. On the fourth court, Kamat played smart squash to steal the first game away from her Harvard opponent, but the Crimson opponent was not about to lose and eventually took the match in four. Sophmore Pear had an interesting match against Georgina Kennedy who usually plays #1 for Harvard but was sitting out today. Pear exhibited amazing squash to stay in the match for as long as she could. 

On court next was Julia Ward (#1), Sarah Willwerth (#3), Abby LeBlanc (#6), Anna Nicholson (#7), and Kathryn Wright (#9). There was little that Ward could do against her Harvard opponent; after a tough first game loss, she fought back in the next two games but ultimately succumbed in straight games. Willwerth played strong squash against a long-time rival, but was unable to get the win. LeBlanc and co-captain Nicholson were moving their opponents off the T, yet it was not enough as they both all fell in three games. Meanwhile on bottom court, Wright took her Harvard opponent to five. The women went back and forth in winning games, before Wright's opponent finally took the final game from her. 

Our second match for the day was against UVA. Tired from the day's first match, the women's squash team was rested and rejuvenated as much as possible for their next show-down. The same five-court system was used for this match. 

In the first round, Co-Captain Swann, Pear, and Kamat were still a little tired from their previous match as they were unable to recover and fell to their UVA opponents in three games. Meanwhile, freshmen stars Jefferson and Ng fought valiantly against their opponents. Jefferson was too good for her opponent today as she beat her 3-0 and obtained the lone win for Williams this evening. Ng battled through a tough five game match, but eventually lost 7-11 in the fifth. 

In the next wave of matches, Ward, Nicholson, and Wright were unable to do much against their opponents. They rallied, looked for the kill, but the UVA team was on top of their game today. Willwerth played a great five-game match, using the boast as a key offensive shot against her opponent. However, she was unable to save the match balls in the fifth game and lost 2-3. LeBlanc managed to win the first game against her UVA opponent, but eventually fell in four close games. 

Tomorrow, the Lady Ephs will travel to Amherst to compete in the Little Three against the Mammoths as well as the Wesleyan Cardinals.