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No. 4 Virginia Sweeps No. 11 Drexel in Season OpenerNo. 4 Virginia Sweeps No. 11 Drexel in Season Opener

No. 4 Virginia Sweeps No. 11 Drexel in Season Opener

Four Cavaliers earn their first collegiate victories as Virginia opens the season with a 9-0 win.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 4 Virginia Women’s squash team (1-0) opened its 2026-27 season with a 9-0 sweep of No. 11 Drexel on Saturday (Nov. 7) at the McArthur Squash Center at Boar’s Head Sports Club.  

The Cavaliers won four matches in straight games, while three matches went the full five games. First-year Ruqayya Salem opened her Collegiate career with a commanding 11-1, 11-0, 11-2 victory over María Emilia Falcon at the top of the ladder. Fellow first-years Malak Samir, Makeda Moshi and Charli Tompkins also earned victories in their collegiate debuts.  

Senior Clare Minnis battled through five games, defeating Luciana Castillo 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9. Sophomore Grace Fazzinga also earned a five-game victory, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Awande Malinga 11-13, 11-6, 3-11, 11-4, 12-10. Senior Nili Sprecher completed another comeback, overcoming a two-game deficit to defeat Eveli Mälk 11-13, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-5.  

CAVALIER NOTES 

  • Virginia improves to 1-0 on the season. 
  • The Cavaliers have won seven consecutive meetings against Drexel. 
  • Virginia swept Drexel in back-to-back meetings after a 9-0 win over the Dragons at the 2026 MASC Championships.  
  • Salem surrendered just three points across three games in her collegiate debut. 
  • Nili Sprecher rallied from a two-game deficit to earn a five-game victory at position nine.  

UP NEXT 

  • The Cavaliers return to action on Sunday (Nov. 15), hosting Yale at 11 a.m. at the McArthur Squash Center. 

#4 Virginia 9, #11 Drexel 0

1 | Ruqayya Salem (VA) def. María Emilia Falconi (DU) – 11-1, 11-0, 11-2

2 | Malak Samir (VA) def. Ana Karen Botello (DU) – 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 

3 | Maria Min (VA) def. Nóra Juhász (DU) – 11-4, 12-10, 11-2 

4 | Clare Minnis (VA) def. Luciana Castillo (DU) – 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 

5 | Makeda Moshi (VA) def. Lijana Sultana (DU) – 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 

6 | Grace Fazzinga (VA) def. Awande Malinga (DU) – 11-13, 11-6, 3-11, 11-6, 12-10 

7 | Charli Tompkins (VA) def. Ariyan Irani (DU)– 6-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-2 

8 | Ana M. Quikano (VA) def. Maddison Laine (DU) – 11-8, 11-9, 11-6 

9 | Nili Specher (VA) vs. Eveli Mälk (DU) – 11-13, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-5