Dominant Virginia Women’s Squash Team Sweeps Dartmouth
The No. 6 Virginia women’s squash team maintained their undefeated record against Dartmouth, culminating in an impressive 9-0 victory on Saturday. This marks the Cavaliers‘ third sweep of the season, having previously conquered No. 9 Columbia and No. 25 Chatham at home.
Cavaliers Control the Court
Second-year Clare Minnis brought home her second win of the weekend with a decisive three-game sweep. Graduate student Meagan Best secured the win at position one, recovering after dropping the second set to defeat her opponent 11-2, 3-11, 11-6, 12-10. Freshman Maryam Mian and junior Nina Hashmi each rallied after losing their first game, ultimately winning by a score of 3-1.
Head Coach Mark Allen highlighted the team’s progress:
“Harvard is always a tough opponent and our women certainly fought their hearts out yesterday in a 7-2 loss. Clare Minnis and Claire Pellegrino continued to prove their durability as they picked up our two victories against the Crimson. We recovered very well today to post a 9-0 shutout at Dartmouth, which is never an easy feat. Maria Moya and Anna Shumway both turned in wins in their season debuts, showcasing the skill that we can present all the way through our ladder. It was a strong finish to the first half of the season and we will look to build on our strengths over the winter break, ahead of our first trip to the West Coast to take on Stanford at their home courts.”
Shumid Makes Collegiate Debut
Freshman
>What strategies will Coach Allen and the team be focusing on refining during the winter break?
**Interviewer:** Coach Allen, congratulations on the 9-0 sweep against Dartmouth! With three decisive sweeps this season, how are you feeling about the team’s performance so far?
**Coach Allen:** We’ve had a great start to the season. The women have shown incredible resilience, bouncing back strong from a tough loss to Harvard with this dominant win today. The depth of this team is impressive, with even our newer players stepping up and showcasing impressive skills.
**Interviewer:** It seems like the team is building momentum heading into the winter break. What are your goals for the team during this time?
**Coach Allen:** We’ll be focusing on maintaining this momentum. We’ll continue to refine our strategies, work on individual strengths, and ensure everyone is physically and mentally prepared for the challenging games ahead, especially our upcoming match against Stanford on the West Coast.
