PHILADELPHIA - In the 2024-25 season opener, the No. 28 Haverford College women's squash team (0-1) faced a tough challenge against 10th-ranked Drexel (1-0), falling 9-0 at the Kline & Specter Squash Center in University City as the Pennsylvania State Championships began in earnest. 

At the top of the lineup, Ariana Solecki faced Drexel's Amirah Rusydina but was unable to keep pace, falling 11-2, 11-6, 11-3. Sophomore transfer Joelle Phuah also had a challenging match in her Haverford debut against Emilia Falconi, losing 11-2, 11-2, 11-5 at the second flight. 

Catherine Fortin and Zoe Liu both showed fight but were defeated by Drexel's Lydia Robinson and Awande Malinga, who won 11-1, 11-1, 11-4, and 11-1, 11-1, 11-2, respectively at flights three and four. 

At flights five and six, rookies Julia Carrasco and Caroline Gay made their varsity debuts but struggled against Drexel's Raya Singh and Claudia Adam. Carrasco lost 11-2, 11-1, 11-0 to Singh, while Gay fell 11-1, 11-3, 11-4 to Adam.

In the lower third of the lineup, another first-year, Ofri Geva, Matilda Chartener, and debutant Laine Reshefsky were also outdueled by the Dragons. Geva was defeated 11-2, 11-1, 11-4 by Eveli Malk, while Chartener lost 11-0, 11-0, 11-1 to Maddison Laine. Reshefsky was bested 11-3, 11-0, 11-0 by Ariyan Irani. The exhibition match saw Ava Prokes get the best of Sarah Kotapka (11-1, 11-1, 11-0). 

The Pennsylvania State Championships, an annual tournament that features all six College Squash Association (CSA) varsity programs in the state, will now continue tomorrow for day two of the round robin competition, as women's squash team will travel to No. 3 Penn at 10 a.m., before battling No. 25 Chatham at the Kline & Specter Squash Center on the campus of Drexel at 2:30 p.m.