Women's Squash 1/28/2016 12:00:00 AM

Trinity Women's Squash Drops Home Match To Top-Ranked Harvard

Hartford, Conn. – The Trinity College Bantams suffered their second home loss in a row, 7-2, against the top-ranked Harvard University Crimson in women's squash action this afternoon at Kellner Center. Trinity, ranked No. 5 in the nation, falls to 7-3 and the defending National Champion Crimson improve to 6-0. The Bantams downed then-No. 4-ranked Yale, 8-1, on the road last Wednesday but lost, 5-4, to No. 2-ranked Pennsylvania on Saturday for its first loss on its home courts since 2013-14. Trinity is off until next weekend, when the nine-time New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Bantams will defend their league title at home.

First-year Jennifer Haley (Caldicot, Wales) got Trinity off to a solid start with a 3-0 win in the No. 6 position in the lineup, but Harvard senior Saumya Karki (Thane, India) won by the same score at No. 9 and the Crimson earned a second quick point on an injury default at No. 8 to take a 2-1 lead. Harvard sophomore Alyssa Mehta (Toronto, Ontario) edged Bantam sophomore Julia LeCoq (Creteil, France) in the No. 4 spot, 3-2, in the No. 3 spot for a 4-1 Crimson advantage, but Trinity senior co-captain Sachika Balvani (Mumbai, India) kept the home team alive with a 3-1 victory at No. 7. Harvard won the final three decisions, however, including a 3-1 triumph by rookie Sabrina Sobhy (Sea Cliff, N.Y.) at the top of the ladder over top-ranked Bantam senior co-captain Kanzy El Defrawy (Cairo, Egypt).

MATCH RESULTS
1. H- Sabrina Sobhy d. Kanzy El Defrawy, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2
2. H- Kayley Leonard d. Ranaam Sharaf, 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7
3. H- Alyssa Mehta d. Julia LeCoq, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-4
4. H- Katherine Tutrone d. Anna Kimberley, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9
5. H- Michelle Gemmell d. Salma El Defrawy, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8
6. TC- Jenny Haley d. Sue Ann Yong, 11-7, 14-12, 11-6
7. TC- Sachika Balvani d. Dileas McGowan, 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 11-6
8. H- Sophie Mehta d. Alexia Echeverria, 1-0 (def.)
9. H- Saumya Karki d. Karolina Holinkova, 13-11, 11-7, 11-3
Harvard 7, Trinity (Conn.) 2