No. 6 Virginia Wins 6-3 at No. 10 Columbia

NEW YORK – The No. 6 Virginia women’s squash team (3-0, 1-0 MASC) picked up its second straight win against an Ivy League opponent by defeating No. 10 Columbia 6-3 on Sunday (Nov. 12) at the SL Green StreetSquash Center in New York, N.Y.

Sophomore Lina Tammam and senior Olivia Walsh picked up 3-0 victories at positions two and four. Junior Maureen Foley and freshman Nili Sprecher both won 3-1 while grad student Maria Moya gutted out a 3-2 victory at position three.

The win against the Lions came one day after the Cavaliers topped No. 7 Yale 5-4 on the Bulldog’s home court.

FROM ASSISTANT COACH GRANT WHITE

“This team performed to our very highest expectations today to close out the weekend with back-to-back wins over top-ten-ranked teams. Columbia fields a deep roster with a wealth of experience, and they tested us at every position. I am so proud of the mettle our players showed—every single one of them. The intensity that this group has brought to practice and training each and every day is paying huge dividends. And I am as pleased by the joy and the confidence we are playing with as I am by the results we are turning in. Another remarkable performance from first-year Nili Sprecher and a breakthrough win for Eliza Mills stand out on the day. But Maria Moya has to be our MVP of the match, saving a pair of match balls in the fourth and then clinching the overall victory for us, 11-9, in the fifth. Key matches against Penn and Drexel are on the horizon for us next weekend, but for now, I hope our women will take a moment to relish the feeling and start back in refreshed and eager for what is ahead. “

UP NEXT

• The Cavaliers have a three-match road trip next weekend, playing at No. 25 Franklin & Marshall on Friday (Nov. 17), No. 8 Penn on Saturday (Nov. 18) and No. 5 Drexel on Sunday (Nov. 19)

#6 Virginia 6, #10 Columbia 3

1 |  Simmi Chan (COL) def. Meagan Best (VA) 7-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-6
2 | Lina Tammam (VA) def. Nourin Khalifa (COL) 11-9, 11-5, 11-4
3 | Maria Moya (VA) def. Erica McGillicuddy (COL) 11-6, 8-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-9
4 | Olivia Walsh (VA) def. Aleeza Khan (COL) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
5 | Maureen Foley (VA) def. Amal Izhar (COL) 11-13, 13-11, 12-10, 11-2
6 | Sarah Cao (COL) def. Clare Minnis (VA) 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6
7 | Eliza Mills (VA) def. Eugenia Li (COL) 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7
8 | Kaavya Bansal (COL) def. Caroline Pellegrino (VA) 11-6, 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9
9 | Nili Sprecher (VA) def. Advita Sharma (COL) 11-7, 11-2, 9-11, 11-9