NEW HAVEN, Conn. – No. 8 Columbia Women's Squash (10-7, 4-3 IVY) held off No. 5 Penn to take an exciting victory, 5-4, on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Brady Squash Center in the College Squash Association National Championships Consolation Semifinals to advance to the Consolation Finals match for a chance to finish fifth in the country.
 
The Lions will next face No. 6 Stanford in the Consolation Finals, with the winner taking fifth place overall, and that match is set to get going on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 11:30 a.m. 
 
Columbia, on its way to the win, collected victories from Habiba Mohamed (No. 1), Nicole Kendall (No. 2), Jui Kalgutkar (No. 4), Jane Pincus (No. 8) and Doria Chen (No. 9), as control over the top and bottom of the lineup locked up the win for the Lions.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The top two spots would go Columbia's way, with Mohamed bouncing back from her match against No. 1 Harvard the previous day, with a straight set win, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7, over Jessica Davis and she was joined by Kendall, who at No. 2, swept Jamila Tamer in straight sets, 11-4, 11-4, 11-9, giving the Lions two wins at the top of the lineup.  A true battle was competed at No. 4, with Kalgutkar needing a fifth-set marathon win to takedown Ashley Manning, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10 to give Columbia its third win of the match.
 
A key factor in Columbia's win, would be wins by Lions at No. 8 and No. 9, with Pincus returning to her familiar winning form, taking down Eujung Park at No. 8 in straight sets, 11-4, 11-6, 11-2.  And at No. 9, Chen battled through a first-set clash against Haley Scott, to win in straight sets, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5, as Columbia came away with the well-earned 5-4 victory.
 
CSA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
NO. 8 COLUMBIA 5, NO. 5 PENN 4
New Haven, Connecticut (Brady Squash Center)
 
No. 1 | Habiba Mohamed (Columbia) def. Jessica Davis (Penn), 11-9, 11-7, 11-7
No. 2 | Nicole Kendall (Columbia) def. Jamila Tamer (Penn), 11-4, 11-4, 11-9
No. 3 | Julia Buchholz (Penn) def. Erica McGillicuddy (Columbia), 11-9, 11-9, 3-11, 11-7
No. 4 | Jui Kalgutkar (Columbia) def. Ashley Manning (Penn), 12-10, 9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10
No. 5 | Amina Tamer (Penn) def. Ellie McVeigh (Columbia), 11-9, 3-11, 11-7, 11-8
No. 6 | Navmi Sharma (Penn) def. Cindy Cao (Columbia), 11-4, 11-6, 11-5
No. 7 | Lindsay Stanley (Penn) def. Bunny Fox (Columbia), 11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-7
No. 8 | Jane Pincus (Columbia) def. Eujung Park (Penn), 11-4, 11-6, 11-2
No. 9 | Doria Chen (Columbia) def. Haley Scott (Penn), 11-4, 11-6, 11-2
No. 10 | Elizabeth Lentz (Columbia) def. Nicole Windreich (Penn), 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9
 
UP NEXT: The Lions will next face No. 6 Stanford in the Consolation Finals, with the winner taking fifth place overall, and that match is set to get going on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 11:30 a.m. 
 
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Squash by following the Lions on Twitter (@Columbia_Squash), Instagram (@ColumbiaSquash) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).