No. 14 women’s squash (8-10, 4-4 NESCAC) concluded its season with a second-place finish at the Kurtz Cup in Philadelphia, Pa., last weekend. The tournament consisted of the Nos. 13-20 ranked collegiate squash teams in the country.
The team entered the tournament as the fourth seed and opened with a 9-0 quarterfinal victory over the tournament’s fifth seed, the No. 17 Bowdoin Polar Bears (9-10, 5-5 NESCAC). The Ephs later upset the top-seeded, No. 13 Middlebury Panthers (13-7, 7-2 NESCAC) 6-3 in the semifinals before falling to third-seeded, No. 15 Columbia Lions (4-11) 9-0 in the finals.
On the opening Friday, the Ephs put up a dominant performance against the Polar Bears, with seven players winning their individual matches 3-0. The win was a rematch of the two teams’ Jan. 18 clash, in which the Ephs triumphed 8-1. “We knew they’d want revenge, but we were pretty confident going in, and we completely swept them across the board,” Sophia Koehler ’27 said.
The Ephs then faced the Panthers in the semifinals with the chance to avenge their two losses to them earlier this season, including a hard-fought 5-4 defeat in the NESCAC quarterfinals two weeks prior. The Ephs raced out to a 5-1 lead, clinching the victory before the final wave even started.
The outcome came down to Melanie Wang ’27, who had the opportunity to seal the victory for the Ephs. Wang opened her match with a 4-1 lead before she gave up seven consecutive points to fall behind 8-4. She then rallied to win the next seven points to secure the Ephs’ win. “At that level of squash, it’s not really common to give up so many points in a row,” she said. “I think that lifted the pressure off myself. I was just focused on trying to play as best as I could.”
Sunday’s final against the Lions proved difficult for the Ephs. According to co-captain Roshni Pal ’26, the 9-0 loss did not showcase the Ephs’ high level of play. “Columbia is a really good team, so we knew it was going to be tough,” she said. “I don’t think 9-0 reflects how well we played.”
Despite Sunday’s loss to Columbia, the team viewed the tournament as a success. “We ended up in the finals, which was super exciting,” co-captain Anika Kakarla ’27 said. “That was our goal this whole season, to [reach] the finals of the tournament.”
The Ephs attributed their Kurtz Cup success to their team camaraderie. On Saturday, the Ephs held a banquet to honor the team’s departing seniors, Pal and Giselle Ciriaco ’26. “The banquet gave a great perspective on the season and the contributions that ensured everyone felt welcomed and appreciated,” Wang said.
Sunday marked the final collegiate match for Pal and Ciriaco, and the team celebrated their contributions both on and off the court. Wang highlighted Ciriaco’s perseverance through injuries and her commitment to the team. “She’s always been such a strong, constant support for all of the players on our team,” Wang said.
Kakarla also reflected on Pal’s development this season as both a player and a captain. “She has had probably the most amazing season in terms of personal and athletic growth,” Kakarla said. “We’re really going to miss her leadership, because watching her improve so much over her senior season really motivated and inspired us.”
Despite the seniors’ departure, returning team members are optimistic about next season. Next year, four strong recruits are expected to join the Ephs and bolster the roster. “Our goal is to be in the top 12, which would mean [the team would qualify for top-level CSAs],” Koehler said. “In my eyes, the team is going to be the strongest it’s been since I’ve been here.”
Editor’s Note: Frances Brooks, a member of the Record editorial board and the women’s squash team, was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
