MIDDLETOWN, CT - The Tufts University Women's Squash team started consolation play at the 2016 NESCAC Championship with a solid 5-4 victory over Wesleyan on Saturday. The match was played on the Cardinals' home courts.
Wesleyan was the ninth seed and Tufts was 10th entering the weekend. Both teams lost their first-round matches in the NESCAC Tournament on Saturday at Trinity College. In the College Squash Association poll, Wesleyan was 23rd and Tufts was 25th this week.
Three of Tufts' five wins came decisively as freshman Hannah Burns at #3, freshman Sahana Karthik at #4 and sophomore Lauren Banner at #5 all won in straight games. Burns gave up just 17 points with 11-3, 11-10, 11-4 scores. The other two Tufts wins came in four games by freshman #2 Zarena Jafry and sophomore #6 Claudia Udolf. Jafry overcame a 13-11 loss in the first game to win three straight.
Wesleyan's wins in the seventh, eighth and ninth games were all in four. Cardinal Annie Ferreira lost her first game at #7 to Jumbo freshman Sinclair Meggitt before rallying for three in a row. Wesleyan's Laila Sarny defeated Tufts senior Paget Stanco in three in the top match.
Tufts, which improved to 8-7 win the win, will play another consolation match on Saturday against Hamilton College to conclude their NESCAC Championship play.
Wesleyan dropped to a 5-11 record with the loss.
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