Princeton University Athletics
Players Mentioned
Women's Squash Welcomes No. 1 Harvard To Ignite Ivy-Opening Weekend
January 08, 2015 | Women's Squash
The fifth-ranked Princeton women's squash team is 4-0 this season, but it also knows that the first true test of the year will come Saturday afternoon. And it will come in the form of top-ranked and reigning Ivy League champion Harvard.
For more on both the full season and this weekend's matches against both Harvard and Dartmouth, check out the video interview above with senior Hallie Dewey, who already has more than 40 victories during her Princeton career.
| Date • Time • Location | Jan. 10-11 • 2:30 pm (both) • Jadwin Squash Courts |
| Follow Live | Live Video (Ivy Digital Net) |
| @TigerSquash1 l @PUTigers l @PUTigersLive | |
| Rosters | Princeton l Harvard l Dartmouth |
| Schedules | Princeton l Harvard l Dartmouth |
| What's Next? | Princeton hosts No. 3 Penn on Jan. 28 |
Princeton has won its first four matches by a combined score of 35-1, and it has been led by a pair of underclassmen. Freshman Olivia Fiechter, who was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. at the U-13, U-15 and U-17 levels, moved directly into the No. 1 spot, while reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Maria Elena Ubina has been dominant at the No. 2 position this season.
While there has been strong play from the youth at top, the Tigers do have three seniors who have played vital roles over the last three seasons — and that trio is looking for one more Ivy League title before they trade their racket for a diploma. Seniors Dewey, Nicole Bunyan and Alex Lunt were all starters on the 2013 squad that upset Harvard 5-4 at Jadwin and built that into a perfect 7-0 league season and the program's sixth Ivy League championship.
It was that 5-4 home win over Harvard in 2013 that can serve as inspiration to the Tigers this weekend. Princeton's lone win over the Crimson since 2009 saw three Tigers rally from deficits, while the other two winners were either tied 1-1 or 2-2. Rachel Leizman, then a freshman, fought off a match ball in the final shift and ultimately gave Princeton its fourth win of the day; Alex Sawin '14 clinched the match with a win at No. 7.
Both Saturday's match with Harvard (2:30) and Sunday's showdown with No. 10 Dartmouth (2:30) will be available on the Ivy League Digital Network (subscription required). All courts will be streamed live for both the men's and women's matches.
Harvard is 2-0 on the season, including a 9-0 win over Dartmouth, and is led by senior Amanda Sobhy, who is looking to join Princeton head coach Gail Ramsay as the only woman to win four straight collegiate championships. The undefeated Sobhy has lost only one collegiate game in her career.
Dartmouth, which will open Ivy League play Saturday afternoon at Penn, is 0-2 on the season, though the Big Green have faced the top two teams in the nation. Dartmouth did get two matches off No. 2 Trinity when the teams met Dec. 7 at Dartmouth.