The women’s squash team matched its seed in the NESCAC tournament, going 1-2 to finish 10th in the 11-team tournament. After dropping matches to Bowdoin and Middlebury, the Cards pulled a 5-4 victory over Connecticut College in their final match of the weekend. Wesleyan’s record now stands at 7-13 heading into the Little Three matches next weekend.
The Cards opened the tournament with a match against seventh-seeded Bowdoin. Despite strong efforts from several players, Wesleyan was unable to overcome impressive play from Bowdoin and lost the match 9-0. The loss dropped the Cards into the round-robin consolation section of the tournament with Middlebury and Connecticut College.
Wesleyan took on Middlebury in the first match of the consolation round and produced better play than the prior night. Liz Demakos ’09 got a 3-0 win at the number four position to continue her impressive play since returning from abroad. Keera Bhandari ’08 and Katie Kalafus ’09 both lost close matches in the number six and seven positions, respectively. Nina Wasernman ’10 added a 3-1 win in the number eight match, but that was all the Cards would get as Middlebury rolled to a 7-2 victory.
The team’s last match of the tournament produced an exciting 5-4 victory that came down to the final match in the number nine position. Down two of their starters, the back end of the Cards’ roster came up with inspired victories to propel the team to the win. After losses at the one, two and three positions, Demakos started to turn the tide with a victory at the four spot. Bhandari, Kalafus and Wasserman then delivered victories in the six, seven and eight positions. With the overall match tied at four, the number nine match became the tipping point. Jenny Chu ’11 came through with a thrilling 3-2 victory to push the Cards to victory.
“In the last two weekends, the team has really come together and fought hard in all of our matches,” said captain Andrea Giuliano ’09. “We went 4-1 in the Smith/Mt. Holyoke tournament, and then at the NESCACs we didn’t beat Bowdoin in the first round, but played well against Middlebury and beat Conn. College 5-4, which was a really down-to-the wire and crazy match.”
With seven new players this year to support eight returning starters, the University has seen steady improvement throughout the season. Early season woes saw the Cards drop their five matches. With more time on the courts though, the victories started to come. Since returning from a winter break trip to Mexico, the Cards have earned six of their seven wins on the season.
“We had a tough beginning of the season, but we are playing well now and are fighting for a spot in the C division at Nationals,” Giuliano added. “We have a tough road ahead of us with Little Three next weekend, but as long as we keep getting better and playing our best, we are going to do well at Nationals no matter what division we’re in.”
Wesleyan will enter next Saturday’s Little Three matches as large underdogs, but with another week of practice under its belt, Williams and Amherst may very well be in for a surprise.
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