Columbia University
#4 Harvard
Squash Teams Fall in Tough Tests Against Harvard
2/4/2024 10:07:00 PM | General, Men's Squash, Women's Squash
Chan stays undefeated; men scrap out three five-game wins
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The Columbia men's and women's squash teams had a tough test on Sunday against Harvard at the Murr Center. The No. 7 Columbia men fell to No. 4 Harvard, 6-3, while the No. 12 women came up short to the No. 2 Crimson, 8-1.
On the women's side, junior Simmi Chan moved to 11-0 on the collegiate season with an impressive five-game victory over Marina Stefanoni, 7-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5. Chan came into the match ranked No. 1 in the College Squash Association for women's international singles. Stefanoni came in ranked No. 2.
Harvard won the other eight matches to take the victory. Despite falling in three games, Erica McGillicuddy played Habeeba Eldefrawy close at the No. 3 position, falling 11-9, 11-8, 11-7.
The men's match could have gone either way. Columbia took victories in the 7-9 positions courtesy of Paarth Ambani, Rutvik Rau and Adam Goad. All three wins took over an hour and went to five games. Ambani and Rau held off rallies after their opponents won games three and four to push the match the distance. Goad came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Connor Stoltz, 6-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-8, 11-7.
Laszlo Godde dropped a gut-wrenching result in the No. 4 match to Tate Harms, 12-10, 7-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8. The Lions also won games in the No. 2 and No. 6 bouts, with Harold Castiaux and Zach Nam each battling but ultimately falling in four games.
The Lions wrap up the regular season next Sunday, Feb. 11, with a home match against Cornell. The festivities from the SL Green StreetSquash Center will begin at noon.
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