NEW YORK — The women's squash team continued emphatic defense of its national ranking Sunday, posting its fourth consecutive 9-0 victory to start the season when it topped Columbia in the teams' Ivy League opener at SL Green StreetSquash Center.
 
The Big Red, which is ranked sixth by the College Squash Association, has not only defeated the three teams immediately behind it in the national rankings, but it has not lost a single match yet against No. 7 Stanford, No. 8 George Washington, No. 9 Columbia and No. 12 Williams.
 
In winning Sunday's match against the Lions, the Big Red has improved to 4-0 in the all-time series — including three 9-0 sweeps. The first rotation set the tone, with sophomore Rachel Scherman (No. 3), freshman Emma Uible (No. 6) and junior Reut Odinak (No. 9) each winning their matches in three games.
 
The second rotation saw essentially the same results. Freshman Michèle Garceau improved to 4-0 with a three-game victory at No. 2, including a marathon 16-14 final game. That pushed the score to 4-0, then the Big Red clinched the match when senior Lindsay Seginson closed out her match at No. 5. Senior Rachel Au (No. 8) recorded the Big Red's sixth straight three-game win.
 
The final rotation saw tighter matches, including a four-game victory from senior Danielle Letourneau (No. 1). Freshman Margaux Losty (No. 4) rallied for a five-game victory, and freshman Charlotte Knaggs (No. 7) closed out the match by staving off her opponent in a fifth game.
 
Cornell will now break for final exams and the holiday break before starting a five-match home stand Jan. 10 vs. Brown and Jan. 11 vs. Yale.
 
#6 CORNELL 9, #9 COLUMBIA 0
at SL Green StreetSquash Center, New York
1. Danielle Letourneau (Cor) def. Colette Sultana, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6
2. Michèle Garceau (Cor) def. Catherine Jenkins, 11-7, 11-7, 16-14
3. Rachel Scherman (Cor) def. Maya Patel, 11-3, 11-5, 11-9
4. Margaux Losty (Cor) def. Alisha Maity, 8-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-4, 11-5
5. Lindsay Seginson (Cor) def. Leah Barnet, 15-13, 11-1, 11-3
6. Emma Uible (Cor) def. Kate Calihan, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8
7. Charlotte Knaggs (Cor) def. Addie Fulton, 11-4, 11-7, 5-11, 7-11, 11-6
8. Rachel Au (Cor) def. Jamie Pawlik, 11-6, 12-10, 11-7
9. Reut Odinak (Cor) def. Adele Barnard, 12-10, 11-5, 11-5
Ex. Sydney Francis (Cor) def. Sophie Rhee, 11-3, 11-2, 11-8
Records: Cornell 4-0, 1-0 Ivy League; Columbia 2-1, 0-1 Ivy League
Order of finish: 3,6,9,2,5,8,4,1,7