Women's squash steps it up in busy weekend

The 25th ranked Tufts women's squash team snapped its five game losing streak over the weekend at the Mt. Holyoke Invitational in South Hadley, MA. The Jumbos earned the victory over 21st ranked Haverford, who the Jumbos beat by a score of 7-2. The next day 18th ranked William Smith fell to Tufts by a score of 8-1. With the upset victories, the Jumbos _ ranked 25th in the latest Collegiate Squash Association (CSA) poll_ revive their quest for the Walker Cup, reserved for teams ranked 17-24 overall.

Overall, the Jumbos finished 2-2 on the weekend. Coach Doug Eng's squad first fell to 14th-ranked Middlebury, losing all sets 9-0 on Saturday. A heartbreaking loss to 20th ranked Mt. Holyoke, 5-4, followed on Sunday morning. Tufts regrouped quickly on both days, though, which translated into the two clutch afternoon wins following each loss.

Throughout the season the Jumbos lineup has been depleted, but the two straight upsets over the weekend attest to the team's capability to win with a full lineup.

"Sunday was the first time with a full team," Eng said. "If we'd beaten Mt. Holyoke on Sunday, we would have won three straight games against higher ranked teams."

Undeterred by a tough loss to Mt. Holyoke, the squad responded to crush William Smith 8-1 in their fourth match in two days, moving the team into position to contend for the Walker Cup (teams ranked 17-24).

"The win against William Smith was a big highlight of the weekend," senior co-captain Winnie So said. "It was not an easy match and it puts us definitely into Div C."

Taking advantage of an injury laden William Smith squad, the Jumbos compiled an impressive 8-1 upset over the 18th ranked Herons.

"It was the same thing that'd happened to us all year," Eng said. "They had lots of defaults, so it turned the tables on them."

Earlier in the day, a 5-4 loss to Mt. Holyoke tightened the gap for the Jumbos on the heels of a 7-2 loss just two weeks prior. If the two teams encounter each other again, Tufts' marked improvement should renew its hope of a victory.

"I was very happy with all the performances," So said. "We definitely have a chance to beat them. We'll be in Div C and have a chance to play them again."

Avenging a 3-0 loss just two weeks ago, So, the Jumbos' top player, responded to a 2-1 deficit with three straight wins against Mt. Holyoke's Liz Hughes, to prevail 3-2.

"Winnie's match was really close," senior co-captain Abi Cushman said. "She had a really good comeback."

Eng entered the Mt. Holyoke Invitiational with a three-pronged objective: assemble a full lineup, and defeat both Mt. Holyoke and William Smith. With a full squad, the team handily defeated William Smith to the tune of 8-1; however, it narrowly missed the proverbial "icing on the cake" of its goal with a heart wrenching 5-4 loss to Mt. Holyoke.

Nursing an illness, sophomore Nicole Arens strung together a pair of wins this weekend, including a come from behind victory against Sarah Schoettle of William Smith. Facing a two game deficit (8-10, 1-9) and the prospect of a shutout, the determined Jumbo stormed back to three straight games (9-6, 9-5, 9-7) for a 3-2 triumph capping the Jumbos' 8-1 victory. Eng was pleased by Arens' performance, especially for a player plagued by illness earlier in the tournament.

On the heels of a tough 9-0 loss to Middlebury, Tufts halted its skid and gathered momentum with a 7-2 win over Haverford, effectively ending the Jumbos longest losing streak of the season.

"We were flat against Middlebury," coach Eng said. "The win against Haverford gave us confidence."

The team expects to continue its winning ways against Connecticut College this week, which lost to Haverford 5-4 earlier in the season. Before the Walker Cup, the weekend of Feb 14-16, the team will also play 17th ranked Wellesley.

Gearing up to make a run at the Walker Cup at the NCAA Championships, the two victories at the Mt. Holyoke Invitational put the team back in contention to achieve their preseason goal _ to bring home the Walker Cup. In the home stretch of the season the team's momentum has shifted and the squad looks to the season finale NCAA Tournament to reveal its previously unseen capability.

"We want to peak at nationals and win our division," Eng said. "We will definitely surprise some teams."