MIDDLETOWN, Conn. - Strong performances from each end of the ladder helped lift the Mount Holyoke College squash team to a 2-0 record after day one at the 2013 Wesleyan Round Robin. The 21st-ranked Lyons defeated #25 William Smith by a 9-0 margin to open and later downed #22 Wellesley by a 6-3 score. With the victories, MHC improves to 3-2 on the season.
Against the Herons in the opener, the entire ladder captialized with solid victories, led by senior captain Randima Ranaweera, who defeated Allie Rubin by an 11-4, 11-4, 11-0 margin in the first position. Fellow senior and captain Shaheen Madraswala also cruised to victory in the second position, defeating Delaney Teceno, 11-4, 11-0, 11-3.
Sophomore Sherouk Khefagy posted a solid 11-1, 11-2, 11-1 victory against Brooke Hayes, while senior Katrina Intal was the victor in the fourth spot against Justine Shank with an 11-1, 11-5, 11-4 win.
Senior Elyse Taylor defeated Phoebe Carlisle, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4 in the fifth spot, while first year Allison Shilling downed Tyler Mitchell, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5. Classmate Sanjna Merchant earned a hard-fought win over Nellie Lindecke, battling back for a 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 win, while junior Xianger Fei posted an 11-2, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8 win against Erin Casey. Sophomore Catherine Ryan recorded the final win for the Lyons, downing Hannah Meyer by a 3-2 margin.
In the second game against Wellesley, the Lyons opened up strong with victories in each of the first five postions on the ladder. Ranaweera won in the first spot, posting a narrow 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9 win against Rosemary O'Connor. Madraswala picked up her second win of the day, defeating Sara Del Balzo, 11-9, 11-6, 11-9.
Khefagy then claimed victory over Meera Nayer, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9, while Intal earned a solid win against Haley Vasquez, battling from an opening 7-11 loss to win 11-4, 11-2, 11-9. Taylor went on to defeat Gabriella Wynne, 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-9, while Fei rounded out the victories for the Lyons in the eighth position, battling to a 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4, 11-8 win against Navisha Gupta.
The Lyons are right back in action on Sunday for day two at the Round Robin as they face Smith (9:30am) and the host Cardinals (11:30am).
