Boston, Mass – The Mount Holyoke College squash team had an excellent start to the CSA Team Championships, defeating Vassar College in the Epps Cup (D) division. The Lyons earned a 6-3 victory in the opening round, improving its record to 8-12, while the Brewers fall to 13-8.
The Lyons opened up the match down one after a loss at the three, but first year Kuzivakwashe Madungwe (Harare, Zimbabwe/Arundel School) tied the match with a 11-8, 11-1, 8-11, 12-10 victory over Vassar's Samantha Henderson from the six. At the nine, first year Emma Robson (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) took the lead with a 14-12, 4-11, 11-8, 12-10 win over Vassar's Julia Pollak.
After dropping a match at the eight, junior Ragini Ghose (Dubai/Millfield School) at the two and junior Lessly Portillo (New Haven, Conn./Hill Regional Career Magnet) at the five, each earned 11-4, 11-6, 11-3, and 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 victories, respectively to give the Lyons the a 4-2 advantage.
Securing the deciding fifth point for the MHC was first year Jennifer Mbah (Jamaica Plain, Mass./John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science) with an 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 win over Allie Pilkington. After losing in four at the top of the ladder, junior Tanishka Sachidanand (Karnaraka, India/Canadian International School) cemented the victory with a tough 11-6, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 win at the seven.
With the win, Mount Holyoke will compete in the Epps Cup (D) semi-finals tomorrow at 1:45pm against Bowdoin College. The Polar Bears defeated Georgetown University, 9-0 in the quarterfinals.
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