ITHACA, N.Y. — The women's squash team opens Ivy League play its last match of the fall semester at noon Sunday, when it hosts Columbia in a key match at Belkin International Squash Courts.
 
Cornell (2-0) opened its season with a pair of resounding 9-0 victories on Nov. 17, first against St. Lawrence and then against William Smith. The Big Red won all of its 18 matches on the day in the minimum three games, and it conceded no more than seven points in any of those 54 games. All five of the team's freshmen won their collegiate debuts handily.
 
The results leave the Big Red ninth in the College Squash Association national rankings. While Columbia (3-1) was sixth as of Wednesday afternoon, the Lions could slide back after suffering a loss to eighth-ranked Drexel on Nov. 23. That likely makes Sunday's match among the more pivotal for the season in deciding who gets the final few berths for eight-team, top-flight Howe Cup in the CSA Team National Championships.
 
Three of Columbia's top six this year are freshmen. Junior Habiba Mohamed has moved up to the No. 1 position this year. Cynthia Cao, Jane Pincus, Doria Chen and Julia Masch are all 4-0 so far.
 
The Big Red's lead in the all-time series against its in-state Ancient Eight rival has been trimmed to 8-5. Last year's meeting was a 6-3 victory for Lions' at their home facility in New York, the all of the Big Red's points coming from the bottom half of the ladder. The two incumbents with points are Mimi deLisser (No. 6) and Steph Tan (No. 9).