BOSTON, MA - The #20 Franklin & Marshall College women's squash team defeated #21 Tufts University 7-2 and fell to #17 Amherst College 5-4 in the opening rounds of the Walker Cup at the 2006 Howe Cup Women's Squash Nationals hosted by Harvard University.

The Diplomats advance to face #19 Stanford University in the final round on Sunday as the winner of the match will receive the #19 spot in the final Collegiate Squash Association rankings.

Against Tufts, the Diplomats took the #1 match as Freddy McNeely (Jr., Newtown Square, PA/Hill School) defeated Rebecca Rice 9-3, 9-3, 9-6. Following wins by the Jumbos at #2 and #3, the Diplomats rolled through the remainder of the matches to take the 7-2 victory.

Versus Amherst, McNeely knocked off Caroline Shannon 9-4, 9-7, 10-8 at #1, but the Lady Jeffs picked up victories at #2-4 and #6-7 to hold off Franklin & Marshall and advance to the Walker Cup championship match.

The loss drops F&M to 8-11 all-time against Amherst in women's squash, while the victory over Tufts evens the Diplomats record against the Jumbos to 5-5.

The Stanford match will mark the Diplomats' second meeting with the Cardinal this year as Stanford defeated Franklin & Marshall 7-2 at the Yale Round Robin Tournament on January 20-22.

Franklin & Marshall 7, Tufts 2
1. Freddy McNeely (F&M) def. Rebecca Rice (T) 3-0 (9-3, 9-3, 9-6)
2. Julia Avrutin (T) def. Jessie Mitchell (F&M) 3-2 (9-10, 5-9, 9-0, 9-2, 9-2)
3. Liz Thys (T) def. Davinia Buckley (F&M) 3-1 (9-3, 3-9, 9-5, 9-5)
4. Amanda Lesko (F&M) def. Jessica Herrmann (T) 3-1 (9-4, 5-9, 9-4, 9-0)
5. Tracey Sole (F&M) def. Sarah Lucas (T) 3-0 (9-3, 9-0, 9-0)
6. Lizzy Denenberg (F&M) def. Jenny Lange (T) 3-2 (9-0, 9-3, 4-9, 6-9, 9-2)
7. Barbara Bee (F&M) def. Jenny Polivy (T) 3-0 (10-8, 9-6, 9-1)
8. Gini Rollins (F&M) def. Micela Leis (T) 3-2 (9-3, 9-10, 9-3, 7-9, 9-1)
9. Margaret Seaman (F&M) def. Nicole Braun (T) 3-0 (9-2, 9-6, 9-7)
10. Roshni Lodhia (F&M) def. Emily Stone (T) 3-0 (9-1, 9-6, 9-5)

Amherst 5, Franklin & Marshall 4
1. Freddy McNeely (F&M) def. Caroline Shannon (A) 3-0 (9-4, 9-7, 10-8)
2. Emily O'Brien (A) def. Jessie Mitchell (F&M) 3-2 (5-9, 2-9, 9-5, 9-2, 9-2)
3. Libby Martin (A) def. Davinia Buckley (F&M) 3-0 (9-7, 9-3, 9-4)
4. Abby Mantica (A) def. Amanda Lesko (F&M) 3-0 (9-6, 9-3, 9-4)
5. Tracey Sole (F&M) def. Lauren Coape-Arnold (A) 3-0 (9-1, 9-2, 9-6)
6. Di Kirkwood (A) def. Lizzy Denenberg (F&M) 3-1 (9-7, 9-6, 6-9, 9-3)
7. Scotty Hanley (A) def. Barbara Bee (F&M) 3-0 (10-8, 9-2, 9-5)
8. Gini Rollins (F&M) def. Margo Nathan (A) 3-0 (9-3, 9-2, 9-3)
9. Margaret Seaman (F&M) def. Heather Nowak (A) 3-0 (9-1, 9-7, 9-1)
10. Moriah Donlean (A) def. Roshni Lodhia (F&M) 3-1 (9-1, 9-5, 6-9, 9-7)