ITHACA, N.Y. – The seventh-ranked Cornell women's squash team held off ninth-ranked Drexel 5-4 in a tightly contested non-conference match on Sunday afternoon at the Belkin Squash Courts, improving to 4-2 on the season.
The Big Red earned crucial victories at the top and bottom of the ladder to secure the win heading into Ivy League play next weekend. Junior Xin Ying Yee set the tone with a commanding straight-game victory at No. 1, defeating Moa Bonnemark 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.
Senior Alysa Ali delivered at No. 3, rallying after dropping the second game to defeat Ana Botello 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7. The Dragons (4-5) fought back with three consecutive wins in the middle of the lineup, with Emma Bartley, Luciana Castillo, and Nóra Juhász claiming victories at positions two through five.
The Big Red secured the remaining points it needed at positions seven through nine. Junior Maya Voloshin posted a four-game victory over Lijana Sultana at No. 7, 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, while fellow junior Saniya Jaggi defeated Claudia Adam at No. 8, 11-2, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3.
Freshman Lamees Shalaby added a thrilling five-game victory at No. 9. After splitting the first four games with Ariyan Irani, Shalaby prevailed in a tense finale, 12-10, to complete Cornell's 5-4 triumph.
RESULTS
No. 1: Xin Ying Yee def. Moa Bonnemark, 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.
No. 2: Emma Bartley def. Aishwarya Khubchandani, 14-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7.
No. 3: Alysa Ali def. Ana Botello, 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7.
No. 4: Luciana Castillo def. Vicky Lai, 7-11, 11-9, 2-11, 12-10, 12-10.
No. 5: Nóra Juhász def. Sabine Ball, 13-11, 12-10, 11-8.
No. 6: Awande Malinga def. Christa Kay, 7-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-3.
No. 7: Maya Voloshin def. Lijana Sultana, 11-5, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8.
No. 8: Saniya Jaggi def. Claudia Adam, 11-2, 11-8, 6-11, 11-3.
No. 9: Lamees Shalaby def. Ariyan Irani, 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10.
NEXT UP
Cornell will open Ivy League play next weekend with back-to-back road matches, visiting No. 12 Dartmouth (3-2, 0-1 Ivy League) on Friday, Jan. 17, before facing top-ranked Harvard (2-0, 1-0 Ivy League) on Saturday, Jan. 18. Both matches will be streamed live for free on Stretch Internet.
