SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The Mount Holyoke College squash team started the season on a high note with two wins over Boston University (9-0) and Vassar College (8-1). With the wins, the Lyons open up the season 2-0.

In the first match of the day against Boston University, the Lyons dominated, giving up no more than five points to the opposition. At the top of the ladder, senior Brandy Williamson (New York, N.Y./Thurgood Marshall Academy) defeated Shelby Brown 3-0 (11-1, 11-2, 11-0), followed by a 3-0 (11-2, 11-3, 11-2) win for junior  Nadindhi Udangawa (Colombo, Sri Lanka/Colombo International) to go up 2-0.

At the three spot, junior Ragini Ghose (Dubai/Millfield School) took a 3-0 (11-1, 11-3, 11-2) victory over Jackie Loring. The four match saw Emily Chang (Carmichael, Calif./Mira Loma) win 3-0 (11-1, 11-3, 11-1) followed by a 3-0 (11-3, 11-3, 11-2) win from junior Lessly Portillo (New Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career Magnet) at the five.

At the six, first year Jennifer Mbah (Jamaica Plain, Mass./Beaver Country Day School) defeated Rose Zhao 3-0 (11-1, 11-2, 11-4) and then junior Tanishka Sachidanand  (Karnataka, India/Canadian International School) defeated Meghana Patnana 3-0 (11-2, 11-2, 11-3). The Lyons finished strong picking up wins at the eight and nine to take the 9-0 win. First years Kuzivakwashe Madungwe (Harare, Zimbabwe/Arundel School) and Nicole Lara Granados (Bronx, N.Y./Dewitt Clinton) each won 3-0 with 11-2, 11-1, 11-3 and 11-3, 11-5, and 11-1, respectively.

The Lyons had another strong performance against Vassar later in the day, defeating Vassar College, 8-1. At the top of the ladder was Williamson, suffered the only loss for MHC to Hannah Nice 3-0 (11-1, 5-11, 11-3, 11-3). Both Udangawa and Ghose picked up 3-0 wins with 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 and 11-8, 11-2, 12-10, respectively at the two and the three, followed by a 3-1 (12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6) win by Chang at the four.

The Lyons had posted 3-0 wins at the five and the six spots, while Sachidanand defeated Emma Glickman 3-1 (11-9, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8) at the seven to make it 6-1. Closing out the match was Madungwe and Granados at the eight and nine. Madungwe turned in a spectacular come-from-behind win to take down Kelly Rissman 3-2 (7-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8), while Granados won 3-1 (4-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6) to take the match 8-1.

Mount Holyoke is back in action next Saturday, hosting Smith College at 10:00am.