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(03/07/19 10:53am)
The women’s squash season came to an end with a resilient finish two weekends ago at the CSA Team Championships. This past weekend, a few Panthers were selected to compete in the CSA Individual Championships in Providence, Rhode Island. Co-captains, Beatrijs Kuijpers ’19, Alexa Comai ’19 and a first year, Ideal Dowling ’22, were among the many talented players competing for a title.
Comai unfortunately dropped her first match against George Washington but quickly rebounded and took the win in the next round over Cornell in the consolation quarterfinals (11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 13-11). In her last match, Comai battled before losing in five games against Virginia (10-12, 11-8, 4-11, 11-6, 13-11), ending her season with a 13-9 record.
Next up was Kuijpers, who made an amazing run and advanced all the way to the main draw quarter finals before being edged out by Yale’s Aishwarya Battacharya (15-13, 11-6, 11-4). In the first round, she tallied a win for Middlebury by defeating Brown in three games (13-11, 11-9, 11-7). This concluded her season with a 10-10 record and a successful career as a collegiate athlete.
Finally, Dowling’s first time competing at the CSA Individual Championships proved to be a rather challenging experience. Pitted against University of Pennsylvania’s Jamila Turner in the round of 16, Dowling fell 11-6, 11-8, 11-8. In the consolation round, the first-year Panther lost a tough battle to Drexel in four games and brought her first season to an end with a 9-12 mark. Given Dowling’s freshman status, one could only expect her to improve throughout the rest of her Panther career.
(02/28/19 10:54am)
Following a third-place finish at NESCACs earlier this month, the 15th-ranked Middlebury women’s squash team headed to the CSA Team Championships this past weekend in hopes to win the Kurtz Cup. The three-day national team championships were hosted by Trinity in the Kellner Squash Center.
Middlebury entered their bracket as a huge underdog as they had to compete in the B Draw against teams ranked nationally 9th-16th. The tough weekend began when they faced 10th-ranked Virginia in the quarterfinals, who the Panthers lost to 9-0 earlier this season. The Panthers did not manage to claim a single point, falling 9-0 again. However, Alexa Comai ’19 fought back from a two-game deficit, bringing her match at No.3 to a decisive fifth game, while Natalie Madden ’21 managed to claim a game at No.5.
While the Panthers fell to Virginia, their morale and competitive spirit remained high. In the consolation semifinals, they had the opportunity to come out on top against 14th ranked George Washington. During regular season, the Panthers narrowly missed the win in a 5-4 heartbreaking loss, in which all the matches were competitive and tight. The tide changed when Middlebury fought tooth and nail at the CSA Team Championships, defeating the Colonials in a crushing 6-3 win.
Very quickly, the Panthers secured the win by claiming the first five matches. Mira Chugh ’20 won by default at No. 9, while Natasha Lowitt ’20 doubled the Panther’s edge with a three-game victory one spot above over Anna Moscovici (11-4, 11-5, 11-6). At No.6, Anne Glassie ’20 scratched her way back from a two-game deficit to tally another point for the Panthers (5-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-7). Comai showed the same spirit in her five-game triumph against Emma Tyron in the third position with a score of 4-11, 6-11, 11-5, 1--6, 11-8. For the match-clinching fifth match, first-year Gwen Davis secured this decisive point via a three-game sweep at No.7 (11-8, 11-3, 11-8).
The Panthers moved on to play Williams, vying for 13th/14th place spot in the national rankings. Unfortunately, they fell by a score of 7-2 on Sunday. The match took place at Wesleyan’s Rosenbaum Squash Center and marked the third time this season the two teams have had to play. In the first encounter, the Panthers were victorious at home with a 6-3 win. In the NESCAC Semifinals, they were not as fortunate and fell 6-3.
In a grueling and mentally tough atmosphere, Middlebury unfortunately lost 7-2. The Panthers claimed their first point when Beatrijs Kuijpers ’19 won and Davis followed close behind with a five game triumph at No.7 against Kathryn Wright (9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 10-12, 11-9). Many other matches, though did not post a win, were extremely close. At No. 2, Ideal Dowling, a first year with an outstanding first season, fell in a tough four-game match. Virginia Schaus ’21 and Chugh followed similar fates.
Reflecting on the tournament and her final season, co-captain Comai states, “This season obviously had its high and low points. I felt that overall the team really came together both on and off the courts.”
Coach Lewis agrees. “In the match against George Washington, we put in a really strong performance. Overall the season was good. Every team member had some wins and in their losses hopefully walked away with some valuable takeaways.”
Contributing factors to a solid season for the Panthers boiled down to great leadership and strong performances from the underclassmen.
“We had a lot of great first years and sophomores who had an enormously positive contribution to the team and I am excited to see how they can help us to be even better next year,” Comai said.
“This year we had amazing leadership under our captain, as well as the rest of the senior class. We feel super grateful for everything that they have done for us and will miss them dearly,” Dowling said.
The women’s squash team is officially finished with their season, except for a select few competing in the Individual CSA Championship in Providence, Rhode Island Feb. 28-March 2. The tournament will be hosted by Brown and the Moses Brown School.
After a grueling and competitive season, the Panthers undoubtedly deserve a break but are also looking forward to continue training hard, preparing for the next season.
“I think after a little break, we want to try to do a lot of match play and captains’ practices this spring to keep our skill and fitness level high. We also want to try to incorporate a lot of mental fitness training this spring and fall in order to allow each of us to be in our best competitive headspace come season,” Comai said.
(02/21/19 10:52am)
Following a third-place finish at NESCACs earlier this month, the women’s squash team finally had a weekend off after a long and well-fought three-day tournament hosted by Trinity. The Panthers, entering the tournament as the third seed, clinched out a 5-4 win over Bates in the first round. In the semifinals, Middlebury fell to Williams in a tough 6-3 loss but proceeded to blank Amherst 9-0 in the third-place playoff. The 14th-ranked Panthers look forward to the CSA Team Championships this February 22-24 at Trinity, hoping for a shot at winning the Kurtz Cup.
In their first victory over sixth-seeded Bates, the Panthers posted a narrow victory of 5-4. In the quarterfinal, Bates started with a 1-0 lead, but the Panthers followed close behind and rattled off three wins for a 3-1 advantage. Mira Chugh ’20 defeated Katie Bull at No. 9 (11-6, 13-15, 11-2, 11-7), while Alexa Comai ’19 won in the third spot (11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 12-10) and Natasha Lowitt ’20 was victorious against Molly Brooks at No. 8 (12-10, 11-6, 11-1). The Bobcats leveled the playing field at 3-3 with five-game triumphs at No. 5 and No. 2. In the seventh position, Gwen Davis ’22 made it 4-3 with a three-game win over Natalie Bachman (11-5, 11-5, 11-5). Virginia Schaus ’21 clinched the match with a three-game victory at No. 4 against Katie Manternach (11-5, 11-3, 11-0).
Against the Ephs (14-9) in the semifinals, Williams moved out to a 2-0 advantage with victories at No. 3 and No. 6. Chugh ’20 made the score 2-1 with an impressive 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 win over Adrienne Conza in the ninth slot. The Ephs regained their two-point advantage with a three-game victory at No. 2. Lowitt improved to 2-0 for the day, outlasting Alex Pear in five games at No. 8 (9-11, 15-13, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4). Williams clinched the match behind a five-game victory in the middle of the ladder, followed by a four-game triumph in the top spot. Davis tallied the third point for the Panthers, earning a five-game win at No. 7 against Kathryn Wright (8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 11-2). The Ephs recorded the last point, a five-game victory at No. 4, for the final 6-3 score.
In their sweep over the Mammoths, the Panthers only gave up five games for their 9-0 victory. Chugh tallied the first point with a win at No. 9, followed by Anne Glassie ’20 at No. 6, Comai at No.3, and Ideal Dowling ’22 at No. 2. For the match-clinching fifth point, Natasha Lowitt fought for an 11-3, 3-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 victory against Margaret Werner in the eight position.
With this past weekend to recover from a long and strenuous NESCAC tournament, the women’s squash team will head into the CSA Team Championships fresh and ready to go.
(01/24/19 10:52am)
Halfway through a jam-packed Winter Term, the women’s squash team is pushing through its season with full force. The Panthers had their last home game of the month this past Thursday against Hamilton, where they swept the team with a 9-0 score, picking up their sixth consecutive win. The 15th-ranked Panthers hit the road to compete against 10th-ranked Brown, in which they faced a devastating loss of 9-0.
In the victory against the Continentals, the Panthers didn’t surrender a single game. Natasha Lowitt ’20 tallied Middlebury’s first point with a win at number six (11-3, 11-3, 11-4) over Eleanor Struthers. Maren Taylor ’21 followed close behind, posting a victory at number nine (11-4, 11-7, 11-6). Clinching the match for the Panthers, Victoria Villalba ’19 closed it out with an 11-5, 11-0, 14-12 win over Maddie Sakheim at number eight.
First-year Ideal Dowling continued her fantastic season by dominating at No. 2 with a 1-2, 11-0, 11-1 win over Megan Grip. With seven wins and three losses under her belt, Dowling is a force to be reckoned with. Consistently showing strong performances during her first season, she is a player to keep an eye on.
Making their way to Cambridge, the Panthers fell to No. 10 Brown with a score of 9-0 in a match played inside Harvard’s Murr Center. In Saturday’s setback, Natalie Madden ’21 earned a game in her match at number six, while Gwen Davis ’22 won two games at number eight.
This weekend, the Panthers will hit the road as they compete against Dickinson, Virginia, and Franklin & Marshall. Following their busy weekend, the team will have nearly two weeks off to gear up for the NESCAC Championships at Trinity starting Friday, Feb. 8.
(01/17/19 10:58am)
After returning from nearly a month long break, the women’s squash team is back in full swinging with five wins under their belt. First up in their busy schedule, the 15th-ranked Panthers battled 13th-ranked Williams at home, winning 6-3. The team went on to defeat Amherst (7-2), Bowdoin (8-0), Colby (9-0) and Bates (7-2), adding on to a great start to second semester. With such a strong showing against top opponents, the women’s squash team has a winning streak of five and an overall score of 7-1.
The team is scheduled to compete against 10 different schools before the NESCAC tournament beginning in February. Every opponent will serve as a chance to polish up the Panther’s game, in which they hope to bring back a NESCAC Championship and improve their current 15th national ranking. They have been training hard, both physically and mentally, hoping to pull some upsets and fare better than last year at the CSA Team Championships. With clear team goals in mind, the Panthers are looking forward to a busy J-term.
“Last year we finished number 15 in the country and this year we are trying to improve from that ranking. Specifically, we are aiming to beat Williams, GW and Brown who are ranked a couple of spots above us. Additionally, it is important for us to have a very tight knit team where everyone feels included, respected and valued. Finally, we have a goal of winning the team sportsmanship award that is given to one team in college squash after every season,” Alexa Comai ’19 said when asked about collective team goals.
The Panthers will return to action as they compete against Hamilton on Thursday, Jan.17 at 5:30 p.m. in a pivotal home game. Be sure to come out and show your Panther pride! Rounding out J-term, the team hits the road as they travel to contest against Brown, Dickinson, Virginia and Franklin & Marshall.
(12/06/18 10:58am)
The 15th-ranked women’s squash team came out swinging this past weekend, when they began their 2018-2019 season with a home opener on Saturday against Tufts. The Panthers swept with a 9-0 victory, and team captains Bea Kuijpers ’19 and Alexa Comai ’19 led the way.
The Panthers blanked Tufts and continued a streak of dominance that has lasted against the Jumbos for the past couple of years. Mira Chugh ’20 began the sweep with her win at line nine in a four-game victory (10-12, 11-3, 11-2, 11-4) over Chloe Kantor. Natalie Madden ’21 followed close behind in the sixth spot (11-8, 11-7, 11-9), and gave the Panthers a comfortable 2-0 lead. Captain Alexa Comai ’19 tallied another win with a 9-11, 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 at line three against Zarena Jafry.
The next couple of wins followed suit from Natasha Lowitt ’20 in the eighth spot (11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5) and Emily Beinkampen in the fifth spot (7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9). Ideal Dowling ’22 had an amazing showing at No. 2 over Julie Yeung (11-4, 11-3, 10-12, 11-2), and grabbed her first collegiate win. Dowling, a strong addition to the top line, is a fresh face to keep an eye on. First-year Gwen Davis ’22 also captured the first victory of her college career at line seven (11-8, 11-7, 11-3) over Diya Sanghi.
Head coach Mark Lewis has an optimistic outlook for the rest of the season. “The team looks very strong and deep,” Lewis said. “The addition of the two first-years in the top nine adds strength throughout the lineup.”
Virginia Schaus ’21 made the score 8-0 with an 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 triumph against Rachel Windreich in the fourth position, and Kuijpers completed the sweep with a five-game victory (11-9, 11-13, 12-10, 6-11, 15-13) against Claire Davidson in the top spot.
“The team has been working hard on all aspects of their games — from fitness and the mental game, to tactics and technique. My assistant coach David Cromwell and I try to keep things very simple on all fronts,” Lewis said. The women’s squash team, having had a history of tough injuries, will be especially careful of their physical health. “Our biggest challenge will be to stay healthy and fit. Though we have a very difficult schedule, we relish the opportunities each match provides.”
Hoping to continue their hot start to the season, the Panthers will return to action as they hit the road this weekend, Dec. 8 and 9, against Wesleyan and George Washington in Connecticut.
(11/29/18 10:52am)
The women’s squash team is ready to begin a new chapter, with four new faces and three returning seniors. With this comes their usual high expectations. As the team is able to play Division I competition, the upcoming season comes with challenges from quality opposition.
The team appears primed to have a successful season, with a full lineup’s worth of players returning. While their loss of their consistent line two is significant, such returnees as Beatrijs Kuijpers ’19, Alexa Comai ’19 and Anne Glassie ’20 are skilled and experienced players who can successfully fill bigger roles. And the experience runs deep throughout the lineup, with high first-season performances from Natalie Madden ’21 and Virginia Schaus ’21 last year.
Also adding to the mix are some fresh new faces and talent in the new recruiting class. It will be interesting to see how Hadley Barr ’22, Gwen Davis ’22, Ideal Dowling ’22 and Summer Hornbostel ’22 rise to the collegiate level and contribute early on. All having played high-level competitive squash back home in various clubs and teams, they are ready to step up and compete on the team.
Entering the season as #15 nationally, the Panthers look towards a great showing at the NESCAC Championship and improved national showing at CSA. Head Coach Mark Lewis is optimistic about this upcoming season and cannot wait to start competing and show their opponents what the team is up against this year.
The first tournament is set for a home game on Dec. 1 against Tufts. The following weekend, they will play another NESCAC rival, where the team will battle it out against Wesleyan. They are enthusiastic to begin, and with the regular season well underway, the women’s squash team is looking forward to a successful season.
(10/11/18 9:54am)
The women’s golf team took to their home tees last weekend in the 2018 NESCAC Women’s Golf Championship/George Phinney Classic. The Panthers were in mid-season form, considering they had competed in four tournaments and invitationals throughout the fall season.
The Panthers ultimately placed third, and rival Williams captured the Women’s Golf Championship title. Chloe Levins ’20 carded the best tournament score with a pair of 76s for a total of 152. She outcompeted her opponents by four strokes, which allowed her to capture medalist honors.
The Panthers shot a total score of 663 (326–337) over the weekend, putting them in third place out of the 11 competing teams. The Panthers were 20 shots behind the winning team, Williams (643), and 13 behind Amherst (650).
Williams, by the end of the first round, led at the par-71 Ralph Myhre Course with a score of 320. Amherst, meanwhile, trailed by one stroke at 321. Middlebury followed in a close third, carding a Saturday score of 326. Cordelia Chan of Williams led competitors with a score of 74; next was Hamilton’s Celia Lau, teeing a 75. Levins was Middlebury’s top scorer with her score of 76.
In the second round, Williams increased its one-point lead to seven points. Middlebury carded a day-two score of 337, which was 11 strokes worse than Saturday. While it wasn’t quite what the Panthers had hoped for, their consistency kept them in third place.
In addition to Levins’ top performance, Blake Yaccino ’20 also had a great showing, shooting a two-day total of 160 (79–81). She tied for third place overall. Helen Dailey ’19 was another solid contributor, hitting an 87 and an 88. Following Dailey was Anna Zumwinkle ’20, who posted up a two-day total of 176 (84–92). Rounding out the scorers was Maddy Cordeiro ’22, with a total score of 192.
While they did not win the NESCAC title, they are optimistic about their spring season and are proud of how they finished strong with a small but mighty team of six.
“Although our team is small, it has great potential,” Levins said. “We’ll do our best to prepare by putting ourselves in the best position mentally and technically each week. If we’re able to do that successfully, the results will come.”
(10/04/18 9:50am)
This past weekend, the women’s golf team competed in the Williams Fall Classic, gearing up for the NESCAC Championships on Sept. 6-7. The last tournament before the championships, this was Middlebury’s last chance to show their opponents their competitiveness in chasing the NESCAC title. The Panthers finished in the top 10 at fifth place amongst 15 teams. NYU took home the title with a 622, while Middlebury carded a two-day total of 651.
For the third straight week, the players saw significant improvement. Leading Middlebury after carding a season high of 70 on Saturday, Chloe Levins ’20 earned medalist honors at the event. besting the field by five strokes. Maddy Cordeiro ’22 reduced her first round score by seven strokes to shoot an 85 on Sunday, carding a total 177. Erika Nakagawa ’21 followed suit and decreased her score from the first round to the second, teeing a 95 and then a 94.
Blake Yaccino ’20, consistent with her strong showings, shot a 76 on day one, and a 83 on day two, finishing with a 161 overall. She tied for 17th place. Helen Dailey ’19 was next for the Panthers, carding an score of 167 (82-85), while a couple strokes back was Anna Zumwinkle ’20, coming in with a score of 185 (91-94).
“[The team] is in a good place,” said Coach Mandigo, in reference to its preparations for next week. “They have started the season on a positive note and they are working hard to improve.”
While they are definitely in the running for a NESCAC title, Coach Mandigo doesn’t want to let up. “I expect this team to work hard to improve on a daily basis,” he said. “I hope they will continue to support on another and push each other to get better.”
Next weekend, the Panthers will be returning to their homefield on the Ralph Myhre Golf Course, where they hope to continue shaving off strokes in preparation for the NESCAC Championships that follow on October 6-7. Come out and support your fellow Panthers as they attempt to bring home a title!
(09/27/18 10:01am)
Following their solid pace last weekend, the Middlebury women’s golf team continued its momentum and placed fifth out of 11 teams at the Mount Holyoke Invitational, hosted by the Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley, Mass. The Panthers teed a solid 322 on Saturday and 319 on Sunday to finish with an overall score of 641. Amherst (619) took home the top two spots, bringing a close to another long weekend.
A consistent player, Blake Yaccino ’20, was Middlebury’s top finisher, taking four strokes off her day one score to finish in fourth place with a 150 (77-73). At the St. Lawrence Invitational two weeks ago, Yaccino also carded a 150, proving that she is a formidable opponent and a catalyst for the Panthers.
Head Coach Bill Mandigo took note of Yaccino’s high-performing consistency, describing the hard work and dedication that Yaccino and the whole team put forth daily. By setting high goals and expectations for the team, Mandigo believes that the Panthers will continue doing well and improve throughout the season.
“I expect this team to work hard to improve on a daily basis,” Mandigo said. “I hope they will continue to support one another and push each other to get better.”
The team has also been incorporating new strategies into their daily regime, in which little things like mental toughness are already creating results.
“We talk about ‘the next’…letting the last shot go, good or bad, and concentrating on what is in front of them,” Mandigo said. “We also talk about controlling what can be controlled.”
Following Yaccino, in fifth place, was Chloe Levins ’20 with a 152 (75-77), another reliable scorer for the team. Helen Dailey ’19 was next for Middlebury with a 169 (88-81), followed by Maddy Cordeiro ’22 who shot a 172 (82-90). Anna Zumwinkle ’20 wrapped up the scorers with a total of 187 (99-88). Also competing was Erika Nakagawa ’21, who carded a 186 (97-89).
This weekend, the Panthers will travel to the Williams Fall Invite on Sept. 29-30, where they will face new opponents with hopes of coming out on top.
(09/20/18 10:00am)
The Middlebury women’s golf team opened its fall season on the weekend of September 8 with a fantastic start, placing 2nd among 11 teams at the St. Lawrence Invitational. The Panthers tee’d a two-day total of 625, consisting of a 317 score on day one and a 308 on day two. This past weekend at the Ann S. Batchelder Invitational, the team came in fourth with a total of 675.
After a summer of good practice, the Panthers were fired up to compete as a team. Coming out swinging at St. Lawrence, Blake Yaccino ’20 led Middlebury in the tournament, finishing in a 4th place tie with a pair of 75s for a total of 150. Another strong contributor was Chloe Levins ’20, who placed 7th and carded a 151 (75-76), with her fellow teammate Helen Dailey following in a tie for 9th place with a 154 (78-76).
After graduating three seniors last year, it was interesting to see how the team would perform with only six returning players. However, the Panthers strong performance at the first tournament of the season proved that they are ready to compete as one fierce unit.
As Chloe Levins ’20 put it, “Having such a small women’s golf program this season will require higher focus and dedication out of each player. Not only will every member of the team play a vital role this season, but the attitudes we approach practice with will also affect the team much more. It will be important to remain positive, patient and constructive in our preparation for tournaments throughout the year.”
Levins, a consistent performer, tied for third overall this past weekend at Wellesley. She carded a 75 on Saturday and a 77 on Sunday for a total of 152. Helen Dailey followed with a 171 (87-85), Maddy Cordeiro ’22 with a 175 (88-87), Erika Nakagawa ’21 with a 179 (89-90) and rounding out the scorers was Anna Zumwinkle ’20 with a total of 181 (87-94).
Planning to build off this weekend’s momentum, the Panthers will return to action at the Mount Holyoke Invitational on the weekend of September 22.
(09/13/18 10:00am)
The Middlebury women’s golf team heads into the 2018-19 season with only six players. The Panthers graduated three players from last year’s roster, while welcoming a new first-year Panther, Maddy Cordeiro, and a junior who also plays ice hockey, Anna Zumwinkle. Although small in number, the talent and hard work run deep. The team is planning to build off of last year’s fantastic season, where Middlebury finished in the top four of every tournament they competed in. Their main focus is winning this year’s NESCAC Championships, where they came in third last season.
Bill Mandigo, the head coach of both the women’s golf and women’s ice hockey team, will enter his 11th year in the program. He is optimistic heading into the fall season, hoping to tee off to a good start at the St. Lawrence Invitational on September 9 and 10.
A dominant force to continue looking out for is Chloe Levins ’20, who scored consistently throughout the past year. In her strong 2017-18 season, she placed in the top 10 in four of her tournaments, and garnered NESCAC second-team honors last fall and WCGA All-American Scholar the following spring.
Junior Blake Yaccino, a second-team NESCAC selection last season, will be relied upon this year as a catalyst for the Panthers. She placed fifth in the NESCAC Championships and scored in the top 12 in four of her five tournaments.
Helen Dailey ’19 will also be looked upon as a consistent scorer after last year’s successful season. Dailey played in every tournament last year, cracking a 157 to tie for sixth place in the conference championships.
Another major contributor in the lineup is sophomore Erika Nakagawa, who competed in all but two tournaments last year.
The team will open the fall portion of their 2018-2019 season in New York at the St. Lawrence Invitational on September 9 and 10. The following week, Middlebury will travel to Massachusetts for the Ann S. Batchelder Invitational hosted by Wellesley, and then travel to Mount Holyoke the weekend after that. On the weekend of September 29 and 30, the Panthers will take on a NESCAC rival, the Williams Ephs, at the Williams Fall Classic, before concluding their season by hosting the NESCAC Championships in the George Phinney Golf Classic on October 6-7.
(02/22/18 2:40am)
Following a third-place finish at Nescacs earlier this month, where the Panthers pulled off a 5–4 win over Amherst, the 15th-ranked women’s squash team headed to the CSA Team Championships in Boston last weekend to compete in the B draw for the Kurtz Cup. They finished their season ranked 15th, after losing their first two matches of the weekend then defeating Amherst in a rematch on Sunday, Feb. 18.
Middlebury entered the weekend as a huge underdog — the Panthers were the 15th-ranked team in a draw that features the ninth through 16th-ranked teams. While they were the second lowest ranked team in the draw, their morale was high.
They began by facing No. 10 Dartmouth, the same team the Panthers lost to 8–1 earlier this season on their home courts.
Virginia Schaus ’21, who performed consistently well throughout her first season with the Panthers, claimed Middlebury’s only point against Dartmouth in a four-set triumph (11–3, 9–11, 11–7, 11–7) against Julia Potter at No. 6.
While the Panthers only tallied one point against the Big Green, several matches stood out as near misses for Middlebury. One of those was Alexa Comai ’19’s matchup in the No. 3 slot.
Comai battled into the fifth set against Dartmouth’s Sandra Reiss despite dropping the first game of the match 11–5. Comai quickly recovered though, and manufactured some momentum as she fought back to win the next two games 11–3 and 11–4, which made the next two games potential close-out sets. Unfortunately, after a hard fought fourth set, Comai ’19 fell 11–9, she could not get her energy back up for the fifth game and lost 11–3.
In the middle of the ladder, Anne Glassie ’20 and Natalie Madden ’21 missed the chance to pull off victories in their matches that went all the way to a fifth set. At No. 4, Glassie ’20 dropped the first two games against opponent Brynn Bank, 11–3, 11–7. But the tide changed when she fought tooth and nail for the third set, securing it with a score 13–11, before falling in the fourth set 11–7.
Madden ’21, another outstanding Panther rookie lost at No. 5 against Janel Gaube in a closely contested four set match 11–3, 11–7, 8–11, 11–4.
After falling to Dartmouth, Middlebury went on to play No. 14 Virginia in the consolation semifinal, where the Panthers fell to Virginia for the second time this season. Although, by only falling 7–2 this time around, the Panthers improved on their 8–1 showing earlier in the season.
In last weekend’s meeting with Virginia, the Panthers managed to get off to a good start when Natasha Lowitt ’20 tied the overall match 1–1 by winning a four set nailbiter in the No. 9 slot (11–7, 4–11, 13–11, 14–12). Unfortunately the winning streak didn’t last as Virginia won the next six matches, leading with a score of 7–1.
Mira Chugh ’20 put up a good fight in a tough five set match at No. 8 against Isabelle Ezratty. Chugh led the match with a two-game lead, 14–12, 11–5 but was then overtaken the next three sets 11–4, 11–8, 11–9.
At the top of the ladder, Beatrijs Kuijpers ’19’s match was the last on the day for the Panthers. Kuijpers ended the match on her terms as she defeated Carey Danforth in a well played four set match (11–9, 7–11, 11–4, 11–6). Their 7–2 loss to Virginia sent the Panthers onto the 15th-versus-16th-place game against Amherst. The matchup with the Mammoths offered a chance for the Panthers to finish in the top 15 in the year-end rankings for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons.
The team’s head coach, Mark Lewis, talked about how proud the team should be given the level of competition it faced in the first two rounds at nationals.
“We played really strong teams in the first two rounds (Dartmouth and UVA), played pretty well and learned that the team that applies pressure, sustains that pressure and relieves pressure tends to win.” But even after the two losses, the Panthers looked forward to apply pressure against Amherst to claim the 15th rank.
Rounding out the three day tournament with a 6–3 victory over Amherst in the 15/16 match, the Panthers finished their season with a 12–10 record.
Lowitt got things started on the right foot for the Panthers in the No. 9 slot, as she won a four-game match over Ashira Mawji. Undeterred from losing the first set 11–8, Lowitt powered through full force, claiming the next three sets, 11–5, 11–7, 11–7.
The Mammoths went on to two consecutive victories at No. 3 and No. 6 to gain a momentary 2–1 advantage. Comai put up a fight with a five set match in the No. 3 slot, narrowly falling by a score of 9–11, 11–6, 11–8, 5–11, 11–8. The loss at No. 6 by Schaus was also closely contested (6–11, 11–3, 11–8, 13–11).
Chugh’s result in the No. 8 slot broke the Mammoths winning streak. She racked up a four-game triumph over Pierson Klein. After losing the first set relatively quickly 11–3, Chugh made a huge comeback and won the next very close three sets, 11–9, 11–8, 11–8.
After that, the tide changed for the Panthers as they went on to win the next three consecutive matches. The wins came from Madden at No. 5, Emily Beinkampen ’21 in the No. 7 slot, and Lucy Bostwick ’18 at the No. 2.
Madden slipped past Madison Chen with a close four setter with a score of 11–9, 8–11, 11–8, 11–9. Beinkampen locked down her match in only three games (11–7, 11–7, 12–10), rounding out her first season on a positive note. Bostwick clinched a deciding five set match against Haley McAtee with a close score of 9–11, 11–5, 11–3, 8–11, 11–1.
The Mammoths gave a final push, breaking the Panthers’ winning streak with a three-game win at No. 4 (11–5, 11–6, 11–8), making the score 5–3. Kuijpers closed out the match, and tournament, with a three-game triumph against Kimberly Krayacich (11–6, 12–10, 11–9) in the top spot on the ladder.
Comai reflected on the tournament and the season in general.
“This season obviously had its high and low points,” Comai said. “I felt that overall the team really came together both on and off the courts.”
Coach Lewis agreed with Comai’s sentiments.
“In the match against Amherst we put in a really strong performance,” Lewis said. “Overall the season was good. Every team member had some wins and in their losses hopefully walked away with some valuable takeaways.”
Some great contributing factors to a solid season for the Panthers boiled down to great leadership and a strong support system, even from the underclassmen.
“We had a lot of great freshman who had an enormously positive contribution to the team and I am excited to see how they can help us to be even better next year,” said Comai.
“This year we had amazing leadership under our captain, Lucy Bostwick, as well as the rest of the senior class. We feel super grateful for everything that they have done for us and will miss them dearly.”
The women’s squash team is officially finished with their season, except for a select few competing in the Individual CSA championship in Washington D.C., March 2–4. After a grueling and competitive season, most of the Panthers are ready for a break, but also looking forward to continue training hard, getting prepared for the next season.
“I think after a little break we want to try to do a lot of match play and captains practices this spring to keep our skill level and fitness high,” Comai said on behalf of her Panther teammates who are already looking forward to the team’s potential going forward. “We also want to try to incorporate a lot of mental fitness training this spring and fall in order to allow each of us to be in our best competitive headspace come season.”
(02/15/18 1:53am)
The women’s squash team ended its regular season on Sunday, Feb. 11, when it lost 9–0 to No. 9 Drexel. This loss came on the heels of a resounding 9–0 win over No. 32 Georgetown on Friday, Feb. 9 and a 7–2 loss to No. 12 George Washington, both in the nation’s capital.
The women’s squash team will travel to Boston, Massachusetts, for the team national championships on Friday to Sunday, Feb. 16 to 18. The Panthers will compete in the B draw of the championships, vying for the Kurtz Cup. Middlebury enters the tournament ranked 15th nationally, and draws No. 10 Dartmouth in the first round tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m.
Earlier this season, on Dec. 9, the Big Green handled the Panthers 8–1 in Middlebury. Caroline Jahrling ’18 won Middlebury’s only match in five games in the no. 9 slot.
Middlebury’s enters this weekend as a huge underdog to beat Dartmouth on Friday. Even if they lose to Dartmouth on Friday, the consolation bracket won’t be any easier. As the second-lowest ranked team in the draw, they will be the David in any matchup, besides Amherst. However, weirder things have happened. Middlebury could finish higher than their ranking indicates. Team captain Lucy Bostwick ’18 realizes the Panthers have nothing to lose and need to prepare well to give themselves a shot.
“The team goals are to swing for everything, maintain a high level of competition and fitness, develop strong mental games and be mentally tough, and really enjoy each other and the sport
(01/24/18 9:51pm)
This past weekend was a busy one for the 15th-ranked Middlebury women’s squash team as they defeated Franklin and Marshall on Saturday with a score of 6–3, but got swept 9–0 against Cornell on Sunday.
Starting off the weekend strong against the 18th-ranked Franklin and Marshall, the Panthers grabbed an early 2–0 advantage with a win at No. 9 from Natasha Lowitt ’20 over Katie Anderson (11–1, 11–2, 11–6) and Virginia Schaus ’21 against Melissa Epstein at No. (11–0, 11–2, 11–6).
However, the Diplomats did not go down easily, as they made the score 2–1 with a victory at No. 3. The Panthers then continued to secure the team victory with four-consecutive triumphs.
Mira Chugh ’20 eased past Liana Zranchev at No. 8 (11–5, 11–3, 11–4), Natalie Madden ’20 defeated Katherine Galambos in the fifth spot (11–6, 12–10, 11–2), and Lucy Bostwick ’18, after dropping a tight first game, clinched the match with a 11–13, 11–4, 11–6, 11–3 win against Lauren Johnston in the No. 2 spot.
Emily Beinkampen ’21 continued the winning streak and gave Middlebury a 6–1 lead, cruising past Grace Smith at No. 7 (11–4, 11–0 and 11–2).
The Diplomats won the last two matches with a four game in the top spot on and a heartbreaker for the Panthers at the No. 4 for the final score of 6–3.
In their final home game of the season, the Middlebury women’s squash dropped a 9–0 game to eighth-ranked Cornell. In the home contest against the Big Red, all victories were three game victories except against Madden and Lowitt. Each of them managed to claim a game before defeat.
Bostwick, captain of the team, unnerved by the loss against Cornell, stayed optimistic.
“This is the last time I will be on a competitive sports team, playing at this high of a level, and having my teammates feel like family,” said Bostwick. “There are a lot of ups and downs and successes and challenges that come with being an athlete on a team like this, but I hope to take them all in-stride, continue to learn from them, and enjoy every aspect of what this final season brings. I love to play the game and I love love love my teammates, so my goal is to focus on those feelings and hopefully success will come as a result.”
The 15th-ranked Panthers return to the court tomorrow afternoon at 4:30 p.m. when they play Wellesley at MIT beginning at 4:30 p.m.
CSA Women’s Squash Rankings
Nos. 10–16
10. Dartmouth
11. Brown
12. George Washington
13. Virginia
14. Williams
15. MIDDLEBURY
16. Amherst
(01/17/18 10:04pm)
The women’s squash team has been on top of its game since the turn of the calendar year to 2018. With a busy J-term, their rigorous practice schedule seems to be paying off. With a recent weekend sweep, the Panthers now hold a 1–0 conference record and 6–2 mark overall. They were 15th in the College Squash Association rankings heading into winter break and, with their recent results, they should maintain that spot.
Middlebury started the new year off with a tough loss to 14th-ranked Williams. Anne Glassie ’20 got the team’s only point as she won a five-set match over Williams’ Ananya Mahlingam-Dhingra in the fourth slot, with the score of 11–8, 11–9, 9–11, 4–11, 14–12. With her team down 8–0, Glassie’s win allowed the Panthers to walk out of Williams’ Simon Squash Center on a positive note.
After a 7–2 victory over No. 16 Amherst, the Panthers hit the road last weekend and stayed the weekend in Maine. That evening, the Panthers came out on top in one of their tightest matches of the season against Bates in a teeth-clenching 5–4 victory. Bates grabbed an early lead with a win at No. 3, but Lily Bogle ’18 quickly tied the match with a 9–11, 11–8, 11–4, 11–2 victory over Katie Bull at the bottom of the ladder.
After Bates took another match to go up 2–1, Mira Chugh ’20 brought the match to 2–2 with an easy straight-sets victory in the eighth slot (11–1, 11–3, 11–2).
Once again, the Bobcats regained a narrow edge after Kristyna Alexova defeated Bostwick in straight-sets in the second slot, but Emily Beinkampen ’21 tied it up for the Panthers with a straight-sets victory of her own in the seventh slot (11–7, 11–5, 11–5). Natalie Madden ’21 earned a hard-fought, four-set victory to give the Panthers the momentary lead. After dropping the second set 9–11, which tied things up at one set apiece, Madden pulled off back-to-back 12–10 victories over Katie Manternach in what was the match and performance of the day. After Bates evened things up, it set up a rubber match situation with Glassie still left to complete her match in the fourth slot. She did so in intense straight-set fashion, beating Maeve O’Brien 11–7, 13–11, 11–8.
The No. 15 Panthers took on No. 22 Colby the next day. In a complete sweep, the Panthers were led by Lowitt at the bottom of the ladder, who eased past her opponent with scores of 11–4, 11–1, 11–7, the recently-returned-from-abroad No. 3 Alexa Comai ’19 who won 11–6, 11–8, 11–7 and Beinkampen in the sixth slot who won by scores of 11–7, 11–4, 11–4. The second wave of wins came from the top-half of the ladder as Virginia Schaus ’21 won in the fifth slot 11–7, 13–11, 11–5, No. 2 Bostwick (14–12, 11–7, 11–4) and No. 4 Madden (11-6, 11–7, 11–4). Beatrijs Kuijpers ’19, who also recently returned from a semester abroad, won in the first slot 11–4, 11–8, 11–5, No. 7 Chugh won 11–4, 11–9, 11–5 and, finally, closing out the 9–0 sweep was Bogle who earned a victory in the eighth slot by scores of 11–6, 11–9, 11–7.
The Panthers rounded out the Maine trip with another complete sweep against Bowdoin on the same day. Middlebury quickly took a 3–0 advantage with another dominant performance at the bottom of the ladder from Lowitt (11–0, 11–0, 11–2), an almost equally dominant victory from Beinkampen in the sixth spot (11–2, 11–5, 11–2) and a four-set win by Comai in the third slot (7–11, 11–4, 11–5, 11–2). Chugh surrendered just eight points in the seventh spot (11–4, 11–0, 11–4). Bostwick tallied the eighth point with a four-game win at No. 2 (11–7, 8–11, 11–6, 11–4), and the No. 1, Kuijpers, concluded the scoring at No. 1 (11–2, 11–8, 11–6).
Yesterday afternoon the Panthers took on Trinity, who is coming off suffering its first loss of the season to Princeton. This weekend the Panthers will be playing Franklin & Marshall and Cornell at the squash center.
(12/07/17 12:17am)
The women’s squash team is off to a strong start a pair of sweeps on Saturday, Dec. 2 against Hamilton and St. Lawrence at Hamilton in Clinton, New York. The Panthers dominated with two 9-0 victories, in which a single game was never dropped.
“The opening matches were great!” said team captain Lucy Bostwick ’18. With five new faces and five returning seniors, the Panthers have the depth to push into the No. 13 to 15 range in the ranking.
Last year’s team pulled out 9 wins against top rival teams including Amherst and Bates. Unfortunately, the team did not fare too well at the CSA Team Championships, losing against Dartmouth first round and University of Virginia in the consolation. However, this year the team has higher aspirations, starting off pre-season with a solid national ranking of No. 16.
The big first-year recruiting class is sure to help the team meet their goals this season. Meet the fresh five: Emily Beinkampen ’21, Olivia Cappello ’21, Natalie Madden ’21, Virginia Schaus ’21 and Maren Taylor ’21. All played high level competitive squash in various clubs and teams, they are ready to step up and compete at the collegiate level.
Not to mention all three Panthers that qualified for the CSA Individual Championships last season are returning to compete: Alexa Comai ’19 and Beatrijs Kuijpers ’19 are currently abroad, but Anne Glassie ’20 was playing in the No. 2 slot on the ladder last weekend.
With the win over Hamilton, the Panthers continued their streak of dominance over the Continentals, defeating them for the fourth consecutive time.
Madden began the sweep with her first collegiate win at line three when her opponent, Caitlin Stern, was retired after Madden won the first game 11-2. Additional first victories of their college careers came from Beinkampen at No. 4 (11-4, 11-8, 11-2) and Schaus at No 5 (11-6, 11-4, 11-7).
“It is so nice being able to compete with a team,” said Madden, who like many first-year collegiate squash players are unaccustomed to having the backing of teammates when they are at the junior levels. “When I got nervous, the cheers reminded me that I was playing for Middlebury, not just myself, which helped me compete harder.”
At the top of the ladder senior mainstay Lucy Bostwick ‘18 made the score 7-0 with tallies of 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 against Rafiatou Ouro-Aguy and Anne Glassie ‘20 captured a strong win (11-5, 11-2, 11-8) against Alex M. Infante.
Next up against St. Lawrence, Lily Bogle ’18 cruised by with scores of 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 against Alexandra Brazo at No. 8. In the middle of the ladder, Mira Chugh ’18 made the score 4-0 with another great win (11-0, 11-4, 11-4) against Cindy Yao, while Caroline Jarhling ’18 swept Katie Walsh (11-1, 11-4, 11-4) at the bottom of the ladder. Keeping up the momentum, Natasha Lowitt ’20 defeated Alexandra Limas at No. 7 (11-5, 11-5, 11-3).
“It was so fun to see all of our hard work in practice translate into our matches and to compete against other players besides ourselves,” said Bostwick, the team captain. “Traveling all together for the first time is also such a great bonding experience and is really exciting for the first-years because they get a taste of what J-term will be like. I was really proud of everyone’s hard-work, focus, and sportsmanship; it made me excited for the rest of the season.”
The squash team will return to action at their first home game this Saturday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. against Dartmouth at the squash courts.