LANCASTER, Pa. – For the third time in three matches this weekend, the Franklin & Marshall women's squash team battled to a 5-4 finish. Unfortunately for the No. 18 Diplomats, Sunday's match saw No. 13 William Smith escape the upset bid with a 5-4 win on the Mayser Squash Courts.
Gurlin Kaur (No. 2) and Aryaa Ogale (No. 3) both completed undefeated weekends with 3-0 sweeps of their opponents in the top third of the ladder. Kaur has now won nine straight matches overall and is a team-best 11-2 on the season. Ogale kept pace with her teammate as she too is 11-2 on the season and is riding a four-match winning streak after another weekend of squash action inside the Mayser Center.
The Diplomats' also got a 3-0 sweep from Sara Ghorashi (No. 9) and earned a decisive fifth game with from Cate Costin (No. 4). Ghorashi prevailed in three hard-fought games, while Costin faced a 2-1 deficit, but prevailed in extra points to level the match before cruising to an 11-7 win in the decisive game. The match at No. 4 - won by the Diplomats - was the only contest to be played to a fifth game, but the hosts did take games at No. 1, No. 5, and No. 8 before William Smith came back to salvage those matches and secure the tight final team score.
Following back-to-back weekends on their home courts, the Diplomats will break from competition until Friday, February 3 when the team travels to Virginia for the Mid-Atlantic Squash Conference Championship that will run through Sunday, February 5. Matchups for that championship event will be determined in the coming weeks with the update of the College Squash Association national rankings.
#13 William Smith 5, #18 Franklin & Marshall 4
1: Rafaela Albuja (William Smith) def. Audrey Berling (F&M); 3-1 (11-3, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5)
2: Gurlin Kaur (F&M) def. Laila Selim (William Smith); 3-0 (11-8, 12-10, 15-13)
3: Aryaa Ogale (F&M) def. Marcela Marquez (William Smith); 3-0 (12-10, 11-9, 11-9)
4: Cate Costin (F&M) def. Shante Frank (William Smith); 3-2 (11-5, 6-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7)
5: Anna O'Connor (William Smith) def. Zarine Gidwaney (F&M); 3-1 (11-4, 13-11, 9-11, 11-4)
6: Jada Smith-Padmore (William Smith) def. Zoe Quayle (F&M); 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 11-9)
7: Lark Ervasti (William Smith) def. Gabby Ramos (F&M); 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-6)
8: Jessica Finnerty (William Smith) def. Iman Jaikishan (F&M); 3-1 (11-13, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9)
9: Sara Ghorashi (F&M) def. Kristen McCormick (F&M); 3-0 (11-7, 11-8, 11-9)
