ITHACA, N.Y. — Already five matches deep into the 2015-16 season, the men's and women's squash teams will finally kick off the home portion of their respective campaigns at noon Friday with Ivy League matches against Columbia at Belkin International Squash Courts. Both Cornell squads are 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Ivy League play after a stretch of three matches in three days which ended Monday.
 
The Big Red men's team remains 12th in the College Squash Association rankings this week after topping Brown and falling to Yale and Trinity. Freshman Ben Francis won all three of his respective matches to improve to a team-best 4-1, and Graham Dietz, Augie Jones, Kevin Flannery and Jordan Brail all have three victories apiece.
 
Columbia (3-2, 1-1) was ranked fifth over the holiday break, but could fall in this week's rankings after a 7-2 loss to No. 6 Yale on Sunday and a 9-0 setback Wednesday vs. No. 1 Trinity. The Big Red holds a 3-1 record against the Lions since they resurrected their program for the 2011-12 season — including a pair of exciting 5-4 victories. Sophomore Osama Khalifa was ranked second in the country last season, and junior Rishi Tandon was 19th.
 
The CSA women's rankings have been updated this week, and Cornell remains in seventh — one spot ahead of Columbia. Both teams have essentially held serve since the start of the season, with the Lions moving up two spots from ninth to seventh during the 2014-15 season. While the teams are close in the rankings, Cornell won last year's clash by a 9-0 margin and has not lost in four all-time meetings.
 
For the Big Red, Rachel Scherman, Margaux Losty, Emma Uible, Reut Odinak and Nghi Nguyen are all tied for a team-best record of 3-2. Sydney Francis was the only member of the squad to win two of her three matches last weekend.
 
Friday's matches are free and open to the public.