No. 6 Virginia Falls 7-2 to No. 3 Penn

PHILADELPHIA – The No. 6 Virginia women’s squash team (5-1) suffered a 7-2 loss to No. 3 Penn (6-0) on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 23) at the Penn Squash Center. This was the Cavaliers’ first loss of the season.

Sophomores Maryam Mian and Claire Pellegrino picked up the points for the Cavaliers.

Mian recovered from a dropped second game to win 3-1 (11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7) at position six. Pellegrino lost her first game, but did not lose another in her 3-1 victory (3-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7) at position eight.

FROM HEAD COACH MARK ALLEN

“As is often the case, we have a strong front loaded schedule this season, and have faced three road trips – three long road trips. So, while the teams are disappointed with today’s losses, if anyone had offered me 6-1 (men) and 5-1 (women) to take into Thanksgiving break, I definitely would have taken it and I’m very excited about what lies ahead.

Playing Penn today was a useful yardstick, because we are strong enough now that we measure ourselves against the top few teams in the country. For me, Penn M&W are title favorites for both championships this year. It’s encouraging to know that we are every bit as good as them across several positions in the lineup, and it’s extremely motivating to know we’ve got lots of work to do to catch them in others.

Our next match weekend promises to be a good one with our first home matches of the season, as Harvard and Cornell make the long trip south to Charlottesville. We’ve battled so hard in front of some hostile crowds and tough environments, so I’m really looking forward to being on our own courts and in front of our own fans. Go Hoos!”

FROM ASSISTANT COACH RODRIGO PORRAS

“It was good showing for the women this weekend. They played lights out in NYC against Columbia on Saturday and won 8-1. Sunday against #3 Penn was a different story, but the back end of the lineup put up great fight with Maryam Mian and Claire Pellegrino winning their matches and giving the team two points. The girls are going into Thanksgiving break motivated by how they fought against a top-3 team and will continue working hard to host Harvard and Cornell in two weeks.”

CAVALIER NOTES

• Claire Pellegrino is 4-0 playing at positions six and eight this season.

UP NEXT

• Virginia hosts opponents at the McArthur Squash Center for the first time this season, beginning with No. 1 Harvard on Friday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. The Cavaliers will then take on No. 7 Cornell on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 1 p.m.

#3 Penn 7, #6 Virginia 2

1 | Malak Khafagy (PENN) def. Charlotte Pastel (VA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9
2 | Franka Vidovic (PENN) def. Lina Tammam (VA) 11-5, 11-6, 11-3
3 | Sohaila Ismail (PENN) def. Maria Min (VA) 12-10, 12-10, 11-7
4 | Malak Taha (PENN) def. Clare Minnis (VA) 11-2, 11-4, 11-4
5 | Alexandra Stoddard (PENN) def. Nina Hashmi (VA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-2
6 | Maryam Mian (VA) def. Anne Leakey (PENN) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7
7 | Ashna Tumuluri (PENN) def. Grace Fazzinga (VA) 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 5-11, 11-7
8 | Claire Pellegrino (VA) def. Hailey Shing-Fei Wong (PENN) 3-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-7
9 | Savannah Margot Ingledew (PENN) def. Ana Quijano (VA) 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 11-6