ITHACA, N.Y. — Sophomore
Sivasangari Subramaniam won in her season debut, but the Cornell women's squash team was defeated by Columbia, 8-1, on Sunday afternoon in the team's Ivy League debut at Belkin International Squash Courts.
Cornell (2-1, 0-1 Ivy League), ranked ninth by the College Squash Association, was making a bid for an upset that would have gone a long way toward returning the team into position for the eight-team, top-flight Howe Cup in the CSA Team National Championships later this year. While Columbia (5-1, 1-0) is currently ranked sixth, it figures to slide down after a loss to eighth-ranked Drexel on Nov. 23.
But the Lions took control early on Sunday and essentially never looked back. Junior
Colby Gallagher (No. 3) and freshman
McKenna Stoltz (No. 6) both won the third game of their respective matches, but they would also both eventually lose in four to complete Columbia's sweep of the opening rotation.
Sophomore
Lily Zelov won the first game of her match at No. 2 shortly thereafter as Cornell tried to gain some traction. Columbia would win the middle three matches, too, before Subrmaniam prevailed at No. 1 in the final wave. The loss trimmed the Big Red's lead in the all-time series against its in-state Ancient Eight rival to 8-6
The Big Red will now take a five-week break from matches while it tends to final exams and a respite for the holidays. Cornell returns to action Jan. 11-12 with an Ivy League road trip to Yale and Brown.
COLUMBIA 8, CORNELL 1
At Belkin International Squash Courts; Ithaca, N.Y.
National rankings: Columbia 6, Cornell 9
1.
Sivasangari Subramaniam (Cor) def. Habiba Mohamed, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5
2. Nicole Kendall (Clm) def.
Lily Zelov, 5-11, 12-10, 12-10, 13-11
3. Erica McGillicuddy (Clm) def.
Colby Gallagher, 11-0, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4
4. Jui Kalgutkar (Clm) def.
Madison Miles, 11-5, 9-11, 14-12, 11-5
5. Ellie McVeigh (Clm) def.
Alexis Shatzman, 11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8
6. Bunny Fox (Clm) def.
McKenna Stoltz, 11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9
7. Cynthia Cao (Clm) def.
Mia Krishnamurthy, 11-6, 13-11, 11-3
8. Jane Pincus (Clm) def.
Lucy Martin, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7
9. Doria Chen (Clm) def.
Ania LaDow, 12-10, 11-4, 12-10
Ex. Julia Masch (Clm) def.
Samira Chatrathi, 11-9, 16-14, 11-2
Order of play: ( 3,6,7 / 2,5,8 / 1,4,9 )
