PHILADELPHIA – The women's squash team started its season off with a bang Saturday, blanking Drexel before roaring past rival Stanford, 7-2, at Kline & Specter Squash Center.
 
It's the fourth consecutive win for the sixth-ranked Big Red over the seventh-ranked Cardinal, and the biggest margin of victory against Stanford since Feb. 17, 2007, when Cornell secured an 8-1 decision in the semifinals of the B Division at the NISRA Championships.
 
Cornell (2-0) won all six matches in the final two rotations to defeat Stanford on Saturday. The Big Red trailed, 2-1, after the first three matches, with sophomore Reut Odinak getting Cornell on the board with a three-game victory at the No. 6 position. Junior Danielle Letourneau (No. 2), freshman Rachel Scherman (No. 5) and sophomore Olivia Wherry (No. 8) swept the next round of matches to give the Big Red a 4-2 lead.
 
Freshman Sydney Francis recovered from a loss in the first game of her match at No. 7 to win in four. Sophomore Bryann Daniels (No. 4) and Jessenia Pacheco (No. 1) never trailed in their respective four-game matches to wrap up the match for the BIg Red.
 
Cornell started the day with a definitive 9-0 victory over host Drexel. All nine of the matches were decided in three games, with Odinak surrendering just two points in her match at the No. 6 position. Scherman and Francis each won their first collegiate matches handily.
 
Up next for the Big Red is the beginning of Ivy League competition, when it plays host to Columbia at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at Belkin International Squash Courts in Ithaca, N.Y.
 
No. 6 CORNELL 7, No. 7 STANFORD 2
Saturday, at Kline & Specter Squash Center, Philadelphia
1. Jessenia Pacheco (C) def. Maddy Gill, 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-9
2. Danielle Letourneau (C) def. Serena Fagan, 11-4, 11-2, 11-5
3. Zandra Ho (S) def. Rachel Au, 11-13, 11-8, 11-0, 11-4
4. Brynn Daniels (C) def. Ally Huchro, 12-10, 11-3, 8-11, 11-7
5. Rachel Scherman (C) def. Ariel Posner, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8
6. Reut Odinak (C) def. Carolyn Gillette, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8
7. Sydney Francis (C) def. Sarah Haig, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7
8. Olivia Wherry (C) def. Julia Olson, 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9
9. Julia Hemmendinger (S) def. Kristin Scillia, 11-3, 11-2, 8-11, 12-10
 
No. 6 CORNELL 9, No. 19 DREXEL 0
Saturday, at Kline & Specter Squash Center, Philadelphia
1. Jessenia Pacheco (C) def. Mary Fung-A-Fat, 11-5, 11-2, 11-2
2. Danielle Letourneau (C) def. Laura Rahauser, 11-7, 11-3, 11-2
3. Rachel Au (C) def. Kaitlyn Money, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
4. Brynn Daniels (C) def. Disha Thahryamal, 11-2, 11-6, 11-8
5. Rachel Scherman (C) def. Davila Thompson, 11-1, 11-4, 11-6
6. Reut Odinak (C) def. Courtney Sabo, 11-0, 11-1, 11-1
7. Sydney Francis (C) def. Kristine Giltvedt, 11-0, 11-3, 11-4
8. Olivia Wherry (C) def. Claire Anderson, 11-3, 11-3, 11-0
9. Kristin Scillia (C) def. Alex Dodson, 11-3, 11-0, 11-5