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Virginia squash to compete in several high-level upcoming matches

Both the men’s and women’s teams will compete in top 10 showdowns

<p>Junior Emily Woodworth will feature in the top of the Cavaliers' ladder.</p>

Junior Emily Woodworth will feature in the top of the Cavaliers' ladder.

The Virginia men’s and women’s squash teams will seek to continue their dominant starts to the season with a difficult stretch of play ahead. Both teams will face George Washington, and the men’s team will go against Navy.

The No. 9 men’s team (3-0, 0-0 ACC) will play No. 16 Navy (3-1, 0-0 Patriot) Nov. 13 at home, and then travel to No. 8 George Washington (1-0, 0-0 A10) Nov. 15. The No. 10 women’s team (2-0, 0-0 ACC) will play No. 15 George Washington (1-0, 0-0 A10) Nov. 19.

Nov. 13 — Men’s Squash vs. Navy

The Midshipmen will present the men’s first challenge since entering the top 10 in College squash rankings last week. Navy’s season began with a tough loss to Western Ontario, with the only point of the game coming from junior Jack Lentz. However, the Midshipmen rallied for a victory over Fordham Nov. 8 and will present a tough battle for the Cavaliers.

Virginia will look to their team of veteran players, such as junior Matthew Katz and junior Matthew Kohlmeyer, who both had dominant wins in the Cavaliers’ victory again Richmond Nov. 2. 

First year players will also have a chance to shine, such as Omar El Torkey, who took the bronze medal in the individual competition at both the 2018 and 2019 World Junior Championships, and won his match against Shamseldeen Abbas of Franklin and Marshall Nov. 2. 

Nov. 15 — Men’s Squash vs. George Washington

The Cavaliers will have only a day off before traveling to play the Colonials at the Matthew J. Grossman Squash Courts in the Lerner Health and Wellness Center. 

The George Washington men’s team returns to the circuit after winning the Colonials’ first ever Hoehn Cup — the “B” division of the men’s college squash championships — in the 2017-18 season and claiming a win in the competition again in 2019 with a 6-3 win over Drexel.

George Washington freshmen are expected to have a big impact in the game, with freshman Moustafa Montaser playing in the top third of the lineup. Montaser recently represented Egypt in the 2018 World Juniors. Freshman Karim Thabet is also expected to play a big role this season for the Colonials.

The Virginia men’s squash team last faced George Washinton Feb. 2 2019, claiming a narrow 5-4 victory. The Cavaliers will seek to extend their two-game winning streak against the Colonials since becoming a varsity program in 2017, with the overall record standing at 2-1. 

Nov. 19 — Women’s Squash vs. George Washington

The women’s squash team will seek to continue their streak of shut-out victories, after beating both Franklin and Marshall and Richmond 9-0 Nov. 2. 

Like the men’s team, their talent stretches across the board, with strong performances expected from upperclassmen and freshman alike. Notable players to watch are senior Lois Lo, who defeated her Richmond opponent 11-0, 11-2, 11-0. Freshman Julia Curran and senior Sarah Doss also held their opponents to three points or less during matches Nov. 2. 

The Cavaliers boast a 3-1 overall record against the Colonials, with their only loss coming in the fall of 2017. They last competed Feb. 3 2019, with Virginia claiming a 7-2 win in the largest margin of victory in the history of the meet-up. 

The George Washington women’s team finished the 2018-19 season ranked No. 15 and holds the same ranking going into the 2019-20 season.

Experience will be critical for the Colonials’ success, with junior Zoe Foo Yuk Han, senior Engy Elmandouh and senior Emma Tryon all returning. Three new players also join the team, with the Colonials welcoming sophomore transfer Nikki Pang and freshmen Aariya Patel and Sasha Hinckley.

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