PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The No. 2 Harvard women's squash team gave it their all in the National Championships match this afternoon but suffered a narrow loss to the top-ranked Trinity Bantams to finish as the National Runner-Up. The Crimson earned a number of impressive results in the effort but could not close the door as the Bantams escaped with a 5-4 victory to secure the Howe Cup Trophy.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

College Squash fans witnessed some of the best players in the nation compete this morning when the two top teams in women's squash – the Harvard Crimson and the Trinity Bantams - competed for the Howe Cup Trophy and the title of National Champion. A large crowd assembled at the Arlen Specter U.S. Squash Center to take in the action.
 
Brecon Welch and Lucie Stefanoni helped Harvard jump out to an early 2-0 leads after recording wins at eights and threes. Welch was first in the win column after defeating her opponent 3-1 with three consecutive game wins. At threes, Stefanoni merged victorious after a battle with her opponent, closing out her season with a 3-2 winning result. Trinity ended the first wave by taking the win at fours.
 
The Bantams tied the score in the second wave, taking the win at nines to level the match at 2-2. Caroline Fouts restored the Harvard lead with an impressive 3-1 win at twos. Trinity fought back with a win at sevens to tie the score once again at 3-3. The Bantams would then take its first lead of the match with a win at sixes to make the score 4-3.
 
Saran Nghiem recorded the final win of the match for Harvard at the top of the ladder, defeating her opponent 3-1. With the score tied at 4-4, Trinity took the final match at fives to win the matchup and the Howe Cup trophy.
 

Final Score

No. 1 Trinity – 5
No. 2 Harvard – 4
1 - Saran Nghiem def. Malak Ashraf Kamal (TRI), 3-1 (11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 11-9)
2 - Caroline Fouts def. Jana Safy (TRI), 3-1 (11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4)
3 - Lucie Stefanoni def. Noa Romero (TRI), 3-2 (7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6)
4 - Hannah Chukwu (TRI) def. Habiba Eldafrawy, 3-2 (7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4)
5 - Kara Lincou (TRI) def. Ocean Ma, 3-0 (12-10, 11-7, 11-8)
6 - Lujan Palacios (TRI) def. Molly Stoltz, 3-2 (11-9, 13-15, 2-11, 11-6, 11-8)
7 - Janna Ashmawy (TRI) def. Amira Singh, 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-8)
8 - Brecon Welch def. Fabiola Cabello (TRI), 3-1 (8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-6)
9 - Varvara Esina (TRI) def. Emma Carney, 3-1 (11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-7)
Order of Finish: 8, 3, 4, 9, 2, 7, 6, 1, 5