HAVERFORD, Pa. – The No. 30 Haverford College women's squash team withstood a challenge from rival Swarthmore, prevailing 5-4 in the final match of the 2017 calendar year. The Fords were buoyed by great efforts up and down the ladder, including decisive sweeps from Mason McNulty at the eighth spot and Sophia Jackson at the ninth position on the ladder. The Fords are now 3-2 on the season heading into the winter holiday break. 

Kaitlin Reese was dispatched by Henry Ortmeyer at the top of the ladder (5-11, 5-11, 6-11) but Isabelle Gotuaco took a win at the second spot with a sweep over Nathan-Sandalow Ash (11-9, 14-12, 11-3). Maddie Hager was defeated at the third position by Matt Peterson (8-11, 8-11, 7-11), but Tia Brown got the best of Amanda Izes (11-7, 11-9, 11-6) at the fourth position.

In the lone five-game match of the day, Sunyoung Chai defeated Charlotte Iwasaki in the fifth position. Chai opened the match with 11-6 and 11-9 victories before Iwasaki roared back to 12-10 and 11-6 victories to force a decisive fifth game. Chai prevailed in the fifth game by a final of 11-8.

Grace Fioramonti-Gorchow was defeated by Angus Lam in the sixth position (4-11, 5-11, 7-11) and Nathan Pitock bested Olivia Franco in the seventh spot on the ladder (3-11, 7-11, 11-9, 7-11).

McNulty defeated James Sutton (11-3, 11-8, 11-0) and Jackson picked up a win over Abe Weiner (11-7, 11-8, 11-8). The matchup was the first ever meeting between the Haverford women's team and the Garnet.

Haverford returns to action after the winter holidays on Tuesday, January 16 with home matchups against No. 19 Tufts (10:30 a.m.) and No. 25 Connecticut College (4:00 p.m.) at the GIAC Squash Courts.