Zhang Helps Lift Squash to 5-4 Win At Conn. College

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Leading 4-3 with two matches to play, sophomore Sarah Zhang (Lexington, Mass.) earned a 3-1 victory at number one to clinch the match and give Wellesley College squash a 5-4 victory at Connecticut College on Wednesday afternoon.

Wellesley improves to 5-4 overall, bouncing back from back-to-back defeats in their last two matches to earn the squad's first win of 2016. Connecticut College moves to 5-9 following their fourth consecutive setback. 

Zhang opened her match versus sophomore Mawa Ballo (Harlem, N.Y.) with an 11-8 win before dropping the second game, 7-11. However, the Blue number one countered with victories of 11-5 and 11-6 to secure the match with the Blue's fifth win of the afternoon.

Wellesley notched 3-0 finals to secure the other four wins in the match. Sophomore Phyllis Lin (Acton, Mass.) swept to victory at number two, defeating Olivia Silverman (New Canaan, Conn.), 11-0, 11-8, 11-7. Junior Rhea Advani (Mumbai, India), sophomore Haley Connor (Boston, Mass.) and senior Kate Loftus (Portland, Ore.) also swept their way to victory at five, six and eight, respectively.

Advani grabbed an 11-2, 11-2, 11-5 win over first year Jacqueline Chu (New York, N.Y.), while Connor defeated junior Anne Holly (York, Pa.), 11-6, 11-3, 11-2, and Loftus took a 14-12, 11-9, 11-3, decision over sophomore Elizabeth Varoli (Katonah, N.Y.).

The Blue continue the season on Saturday, January 23, with a pair of matches in western Massachusetts. Wellesley will open the day by taking on William Smith at 10:30 AM at Mount Holyoke, before heading down the road to face Smith at 2:30 PM.