Starting off the day with a home match against No. 9 ranked Cornell (2-0), part one of a doubleheader competition, the women’s squash team (1-1, 1-0 NESCAC) knew its Nov. 18 match against Cornell was going to be challenging. Although the Ephs ultimately conceded eight points, they were able to put one point on the board in a 1-8 matchup.
No. 5 Anika Kakarla ’27, No. 1 Rachel Miller ’27, and No. 8 Roshni Pal ’26 played the first round of matches. Kakarla was able to win the second game in her match after two very close games, but she fell to her Cornell opponent in the fourth game.
Next on were No. 3 Sophia Koehler ’27, co-captain and No. 6 Nora Brant ’25, and No. 9 Annie Chang ’27. Koehler was able to sweep her Cornell opponent in a 3-0 result, earning the only point for the Ephs against Cornell.
No. 2 Rhea Pandit ’27, No. 7 Deena Iqbal ’26, and No. 4 Melanie Wang ’27 played in the last round for the Ephs. Wang’s match was a grueling one. After hard-hitting shots and long rallies, she eventually fell in three games. Following the match, head coach Hesham Aly said that the Ephs played strong and fought hard and will come back stronger for their tough matches after the Thanksgiving break.
Later in the evening, the Ephs played No. 26 Hamilton (1-1) for the second round of their double header and home opener, sweeping the Continentals 9-0.
In the first round, Pal played efficiently with her specialty: high flying lobs and dying lengths. Miller swept her opponent in three games, stumbling in the second game but quickly regaining her balance in the last game with tight and smart points.
On next, Koehler, Brant, and Chang were able to find their rhythm quickly from the start, leading 3-0 results for the Ephs.
The last wave of matches was played by Pandit, Iqbal, and Wang. These three helped close out the day with the last three wins for the Ephs. Pandit was the last player on the court and finished her home opener debut with high energy and efficient movement. Iqbal and Wang were able to keep the same energy for the last matches until the break.
After the win against Hamilton, Aly commended the Ephs’ persistence. “The women’s team played well and [were consistent] throughout the matches and will continue to train hard over the next couple days of break to keep the momentum going,” he said.