Blue Squash Defeats Conn. College, 7-2

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Wellesley College returned to the courts on Wednesday night at MIT, earning a 7-2 win over Connecticut College. The 23rd ranked Blue improve to 4-2 on the year, handing 26th ranked Conn. College (2-1) the team's first setback of the season.

Wellesley swept the top-seven spots in the match-up, including a thrilling five-game triumph by sophomore Phyllis Lin (Acton, Mass.) at number one. Lin, playing in the top position on the Wellesley ladder for the first time in her career, defeated Conn. College's Ashley Arthur, 11-6, 5-11, 11-1, 4-11, 11-2, to earn the win.

The Blue went on to take 3-0 sweeps at positions two, three and four. Sophomore Sarah Zhang (Lexington, Mass.) defeated Mawa Ballo, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5, at number two, while junior Meera Nayar (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) earned an 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 win over Aaliyah Davidson at number three. Senior Gabriella Wynne (Brookline, Mass.) earned the win at number four, defeating Olivia Silverman, 11-8, 11-9, 12-10.

Wellesley then sealed the win with three more victories at positions five through seven. Junior Navisha Gupta (Mumbai, India) earned a four-game win over Anne Holly, bouncing back from a 7-11 loss in the opener to take the next three games, 11-9, 11-9, and 11-6. 

At six, junior Ruby Feng (Old Lyme, Conn.) had to rally from a two-game deficit after falling behind Caroline Lippincott, 8-11, 10-12. Like Gupta, she went on to take three-straight games, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4, to earn the win. Senior Kate Loftus (Portland, Ore.) grabbed the Blue's final victory with a 3-0 sweep of Jacqueline Chu at number seven, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7.

Wellesley will close out the team's first semester schedule on Saturday, December 5, when they return to MIT for an 11:00 AM match with Bowdoin College.