PHILADELPHIA — The seventh-seeded Cornell women's squash team opened Howe Cup play in dominant fashion on Thursday, sweeping No. 10 Amherst, 9-0, on the first day of the 2026 CSA National Team Championships at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.

The Big Red (8-7) were in control from top to bottom, winning seven of nine matches in straight games. Junior Xin Ying Yee set the tone at No. 1, cruising past Quincy Cline, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5, to extend her winning streak to five matches. Senior Alysa Ali was equally commanding at No. 3, defeating Amherst's Kanzy Elkaliouby, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6.

Junior Christa Kay was part of the only five-game match of the day, avenging a 2-0 deficit to defeat Fionnoula Brandon at No. 6. Senior Aishwarya Khubchandani also recovered from dropping the opening game at No. 2 to win three straight and defeat Anastasiia Krykun, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9.

Freshman Vicky Lai ground out a gritty straight-games victory at No. 4, saving match points to win the second and third games by identical 13-11 scores against Kristen Daniel. Junior Maya Voloshin was efficient at No. 7, posting a straight-game victory over Katherine Grissom, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.

At No. 9, freshman Lamees Shalaby was in command against Ella Miller before a mid-game retirement resulted in Shalaby receiving the victory, 11-8, 9-7.

The sweep handed Amherst (15-4) its third consecutive loss, while Cornell extended its winning streak over the Mammoths to seven matches.

RESULTS
No. 1: Xin Ying Yee def. Quincy Cline, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5.
No. 2: Aishwarya Khubchandani def. Anastasiia Krykun, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9.
No. 3: Alysa Ali def. Kanzy Elkaliuoby, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6.
No. 4: Vicky Lai def. Kristen Daniel, 11-9, 13-11, 13-11.
No. 5: Sabine Ball def. Alexandra Brown, 11-7, 12-10, 11-0.
No. 6: Christa Kay def. Fionnoula Brandon, 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 8-11, 11-6.
No. 7: Maya Voloshin def. Katherine Grissom, 11-4, 11-8, 11-5.
No. 8: Saniya Jaggi def. Brigid Brandon, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7.
No. 9: Lamees Shalaby def. Ella Miller, 11-8, 9-7, retired.

UP NEXT
Cornell advances to face second-seeded Penn (14-2) in the Howe Cup quarterfinals on Friday at 3 p.m. The Quakers did not play Thursday as they were one of four teams to receive a first-round bye.

The two programs met earlier this season on Jan. 31 at the Belkin Squash Courts, where Penn posted a 9-0 victory. Ali, Voloshin and Shalaby were the only Big Red players to avoid straight-game losses in the setback.

Penn leads the all-time series over Cornell, 34-3, and has won the last four meetings. The most recent encounter at the CSA National Team Championships came on March 2, 2024, when the Quakers won 8-1 in the consolation round — with Voloshin's default victory at No. 8 accounting for Cornell's lone win that day.