Bowdoin Advances Past Blue Squash at CSA Walker Cup, 7-2

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – No. 18 Bowdoin College earned a 7-2 victory over No. 23 Wellesley College squash in the first round of the College Squash Association's (CSA) National Team Championship Walker Cup (C Division) on Friday afternoon at Yale University's Brady Squash Courts.

The Polar Bears, now 11-9 overall, advance to the semifinal round of the Walker Cup and will face No. 19 Bates College at 11:30 AM on Saturday, February 20. Wellesley drops to 13-6 on the year and will take on St. Lawrence University in the consolation round, also tomorrow at 11:30 AM. The Blue and Saints squared off earlier this season, with Wellesley dropping a 7-2 final on January 17 at the Dana Hall School Courts. 

Bowdoin swept the top five spots in the ladder to secure the victory, after the two sides split the opening four matches at the bottom of the lineup.

Wellesley improved on the score line from an 8-1 setback to Bowdoin earlier this season, earning victories at spots six and seven thanks to junior Navisha Gupta (Mumbai, India) and senior Kate Loftus (Portland, Ore.). 

Following Bowdoin wins at eight and nine, Gupta needed four games to top Bowdoin first year Mariela Mendoza (Bronx, N.Y.) 11-8, 10-12, 11-5, 11-9 at six, while Loftus swept to an 11-5, 11-7, 13-11, win over sophomore Zoe Wood (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) at seven. 

The Polar Bears then took four game wins at number one and two and sweeps at three and four. At number five, Wellesley sophomore Haley Connor (Boston, Mass.) battled through five games with Bowdoin junior Chloe Polikoff before dropping an 11-8, 11-4, 9-11, 11-13, 11-6.

For more information on the 2016 CSA National Team Championship, visit collegesquashassociation.com.