Sophomore Amanda Sobhy Captures Second National Title

For the twelfth time in its history, the Ramsey Cup belongs to Harvard.

On Sunday afternoon, sophomore Amanda Sobhy took her second straight women’s squash individual college national championship, defeating Trinity’s Kanzy El Defrawy in the final, 11-4, 11-5, 12-10.

Sobhy did not lose a game all weekend, beating Gwendoline Tilghman of Yale, Rachel Goh of Penn, Danielle Letourneau of Cornell, and Yan Xin Tan of Penn to reach the finals.

Six other Crimson women joined the top-seeded Sobhy to compete in the tournaments at Trinity this weekend. Co-captain Natasha Kingshott, 2010 individual national champion Laura Gemmell, sophomore Haley Mendez, and freshman Michelle Gemmell also competed for the Ramsey Cup. Co-captain Sarah Mumanachit and sophomore Julianne Chu competed for the Holleran Cup.

“The freshman and sophomore classes are so strong,” Kingshott said. “They form the foundation of our team. As an upperclassman I am just so proud to see everything they have accomplished.”

Michelle Gemmell lost her opening match of the weekend, but stormed back with four straight victories to take the first round consolation trophy with her win over Pia Trikha of Penn, 11-2, 11-9, 11-5.

“Michelle has been training really hard, and it showed [this weekend],” Sobhy said.

The freshman lost her initial match to Trinity’s Catalina Pelaez, 8-11, 9-11, 6-11. But she then beat her teammate Kingshott, Princeton’s Rachel Leizman, and Cornell’s Jaime Larid, to reach the first-round consolation finals.

“[Gemmell] had a great win against a girl that she had lost to in the Princeton match,” Kingshott said. “We were all really proud of her for getting revenge. She was really fired up for that match.”

Mendez made it to the final of the second-round consolation before losing a close match to Pelaez, 10-12, 11-5, 11-3, 10-12, 9-11.

“Haley had a great first round win,” Kingshott said. “She then lost to [El Defrawy], who lost to Amanda in the final. It was great that Haley was able to play [El Defrawy] so close in that second round match.”

Mendez won her first round match over Penn’s Haidi Lala before losing to El Defrawy. She then beat Cornell’s Jesse Pacheco and Stanford’s Pamela Chua, to reach the second-round consolation finals.

“I think Haley Mendez really stepped up,” Sobhy said. “She gave the No. 1 from Trinity a run for her money. She lost today, 11-9, in the fifth [to Trinity’s No. 2]. Haley just works so hard day in and day out.”

It was a strong day all around for the Crimson, which won the team national championship two weekends ago.

“All of the performances [this weekend] were just great,” Kingshott said. “It is really difficult to come into this weekend and perform at your best. It is a long season so it is really impressive what all of these girls achieved in their matches.”

While some of the top performers for the Crimson were underclassmen, Harvard’s roster boasts both youth and experience.

“They come in and they are new to college squash,” Kingshott said. “I really enjoy imparting my knowledge having played four years [of college] already.”

At the same time, the co-captain is quick to acknowledge the impressive level of play of the younger members on the team.

“They bring their own unique insight to the game because they have competed at such high levels already,” Kingshott said. “It just creates a wonderful dynamic on the team, so it is really exciting to be a part of.”

Despite facing the nation’s best players, the Crimson managed to end its season on a high note.

“The level of college squash has definitely improved over the past few years, and all the players are getting better,” Sobhy said. “It was great to see everyone play so well.”

While Sobhy was a force for Harvard at No. 1 all season long, Mendez’s and Michelle Gemmell’s strong performances displayed the depth of the Crimson’s roster.

“[Mendez and Gemmell] approached this weekend like professionals, and they are the perfect examples of athletes who are focused and determined,” Kingshott said. “It is just so gratifying to see [them] rewarded so well.”