PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The No. 4 Harvard women's squash team battled the top team in the nation this evening in the CSA Team National Championship Semifinals, falling in a 6-3 decision. The Crimson put up a fight, taking three matches and losing two more in the fifth game in the contest.
How it Happened
Playing in the semifinals of the CSA Team National Championships, Harvard met its rival, the Princeton Tigers, on the courts in Philadelphia for the second time this season. The teams were playing for a spot in the National Championship match tomorrow afternoon.
Princeton opened up a 2-1 lead in the first wave, taking the matches at twos and eights.
Dixon Hill recorded the win for Harvard in sixth position, defeating her Tiger foe in straight games, 3-0. Hill kept her perfect record alive with the result. At eights,
Sarita Popat controlled the match early, winning the first two games but could not close the door as her Princeton foe rallied to earn a 3-2 win.
Ocean Ma kicked off the second wave with a victory at fours for the Crimson. Ma's result tied the score at 2-2 before Princeton took the wins at ones and nines to build a 4-2 advantage heading into the final wave.
Princeton clinched the match with two wins in the final wave, taking the matches at the fifth and seventh positions.
Saran Nghiem captured a 3-1 win at the three spot for Harvard to make the final score, 6-3.
Results
No. 4 Harvard – 3
No. 1 Princeton – 6
1 - Zeina Zein (PRINCETON) def.
Caroline Fouts, 3-2 (6-11, 11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 11-8)
2 - Alexandra Jaffe (PRINCETON) def.
Lucie Stefanoni, 3-1 (11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 15-13)
3 -
Saran Nghiem def. Emma Trauber (PRINCETON), 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7)
4 -
Ocean Ma def. Charlotte Bell (PRINCETON), 3-1 (11-7. 12-10, 9-11, 11-9)
5 - Samantha Jaffe (PRINCETON) def.
Ona Blasco Puig, 3-0 (12-10, 11-8, 11-5)
6 -
Dixon Hill def. Caroline Eielson (PRINCETON), 3-0 (11-4, 11-9, 11-7)
7 - Liyen Teoh (PRINCETON) def.
Jomana Ahmed 3-0 (11-4, 11-4, 11-8)
8 - Hermione Cao (PRINCETON) def.
Sarita Popat, 3-2 (9-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7)
9 - Sonya Sasson (PRINCETON) def.
Molly Stoltz, 3-1 (7-11, 11-1, 12-10, 13-11)
Up Next
Harvard will take on No. 3 Stanford in the third-place match tomorrow afternoon. The Crimson and the Cardinal are set to battle at 3:00 PM with the match streaming live on YouTube.
