PHILADELPHIA – The No. 7 Virginia women’s squash team (13-4) opened play at the 2024 CSA National Collegiate Squash Team Championships with a 5-4 victory against No. 10 Drexel (6-8) on Thursday (Feb. 29) at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
With the victory, the Cavaliers advance to the Howe Cup quarterfinals, where they will face No. 2 Harvard (10-1) on Friday, March 1 at 3 p.m.
Drexel took an early 1-0 lead, but senior Meagan Best logged a dominant 3-0 win at the top of the ladder to tie the match 1-1. Junior Caroline Pellegrino picked up a 3-1 victory at nine to put UVA ahead 2-1. Senior Olivia Walsh closed out an 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 win at three to put UVA ahead 3-1. Drexel logged a 3-0 win at eight to make it 3-2.
Freshman Clare Minnis trailed 2-1 in her match at five against Emi Falconi but rallied for an 11-7 win in the fourth game to tie it 2-2. She took the fifth game 11-2 to put the Cavaliers on the brink of victory.
Sophomore Lina Tammam was edged 11-9 in her first game against Karina Tyma at two but went 11-8, 11-3, and 11-6 in the next three games to clinch the victory for the Cavaliers.
Virginia’s best-ever finish at the Howe Cup came last year when the team finished fifth.
Harvard won the regular-season meeting against Virginia 9-0.