Women's Squash Captures National Title

Pop the champagne bottles and let the celebration begin.

After finishing 12-0 on the season, the No. 1 Harvard women’s squash team embodied perfection as the squad went on to defeat No. 3 Penn, 6-3, to capture the national title at the College Squash Association’s Team Championships hosted by Yale.

This victory was a fitting ending to a season full of accolades, namely the Ivy League Title and the Barhite Award—a prize for the team with the best record in the nation.

The Crimson was refused the title last year when it lost a heartbreaking matchup to Princeton, 5-4. But this year, Harvard would not be denied. Having last won the title in 2001, the Crimson is finally bringing home the Howe Cup, squash’s illustrious trophy given to the best team in the nation.

“I’m still in a little bit of shock,” co-captain Johanna Snyder said. “But some of the emotions I’m feeling are excitement and relief. Definitely a ton and ton of excitement. We worked so hard for this. Nobody from last year’s team graduated, so everyone who was there got to experience the win this year.”

HARVARD 6, PENN 3

Harvard lived up to expectations, as it reached the final for the second year in a row. Penn, on the other hand, had to overcome higher-ranked Trinity in a close semifinal round that ended in a 5-4 win for the Quakers.

The Crimson knew that Penn was ready to avenge the 8-1 loss that it suffered earlier in the season, but Harvard had different plans.

Junior June Tiong started the day off by defeating the Quakers’ Sydney Scott, 3-0. Snyder followed that up with a 3-1 win at the No. 6 spot, ending her collegiate career with a perfect record this season. Fellow captain Katherine O’Donnell also recorded a win in a close 3-2 match with Christina Matthias.

Sophomore Nirasha Guruge rebounded from a loss the previous day to beat Nabilla Ariffin in four games. At the No. 1 position, freshman Laura Gemmell preserved her unbeaten record (11-0), coolly sweeping all three sets from Kristen Lange.

Freshman Natasha Kingshott also finished the season without a loss, after she pulled through a close matchup with Yarden Odinak, 3-2.

The season, full of highlights and accomplishments, came to a close for the three Harvard seniors, eliciting tears of joy from all the members of the team.

“As captain, I am proud of everyone on the team,” Snyder said. “It’s hard to come out there and play your best in these conditions. Everyone was mentally strong, and we played for each other, and that’s what got us this far.”

HARVARD 7, YALE 2

A fierce Ivy League rivalry was set up in the semifinals as Harvard faced Yale on enemy turf for the second time this season.

The first time around, the Crimson defeated the Bulldogs, 7-2, and, to add salt to the injury, claimed the Ivy League championship in the process. Yale was unable to stop Harvard once again, ceding a spot in the national championship game to the No. 1 team in the nation.

But the Bulldogs seem to have found a way to contain Guruge, as she fell for the second time this season to Alia Aziz. Guruge appeared to have momentum on her side after taking the first game, 11-8, but Aziz knew her opponent too well. The next two games allowed Aziz to gain confidence, winning a nail-biter in the second, 13-11, and soundly defeating Guruge in the third, 11-6. Guruge decided to return the favor with an 11-8 win in the fourth game, setting up a critical fifth game. Aziz held on for the win at the No. 2 spot, taking the last game with a score of 11-8.

“I lost to her the first time we faced Yale to win the Ivy League title,” Guruge said. “This time I extended it to five, but I still lost, so I hope to beat her next time if I play her at the individual tournament next weekend.”

Tiong also suffered a loss at the No. 3 spot, conceding defeat to Yale’s Sarah Toomey, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8.

Even though the Crimson fell twice, the team was never in danger of dropping the matchup. Harvard swept four opponents, including Gemmell’s usual 3-0 win at the No. 1 spot, and also comfortably won at No. 6 by a 3-1 margin. Junior Bethan Williams overcame a loss at the No. 9 spot to take the next three games, rounding out Harvard’s day before the title game.

HARVARD 9, WILLIAMS 0

With the pressures of a first-round win to get things started, the Crimson accomplished its goal and more.

Harvard dismantled any threat that Williams attempted, beating all nine opponents in three sets, with the highest scoring game coming in the No. 5 spot, when Kingshott allowed the Eph’s Caroline Henry to score a mere seven points in the third game.

The matchup seemed to magnify the preparation Harvard undertook all season long and the quality of its players. No. 1 Gemmell once again didn’t seem to fret, swiftly defeating her opponents in three games, as she has done all season.

Guruge had an even easier time sweeping Williams’ Jennifer Coxe, considering that Coxe only managed to put up seven total points through three games. The other seven competitors also showed little sign of nerves in the win.

The CSA Individual Championships will take place next weekend in Hartford, Conn.

—Staff writer Brian A. Campos can be reached at bcampos@fas.harvard.edu.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: March 1, 2010

The Mar. 1 sports article "Women's Squash Captures National Title" incorrectly stated that co-captain Johanna Snyder won her match by a score of 3-2 in the national championship match against University of Pennsylvania. In fact, the score was 3-1.