Virginia men’s and women’s squash finished up a tough early-season stretch of matches at the McArthur Squash Center, where they faced two Ivy League opponents — usually the most skilled conference in college squash. The No. 4 men’s side (7-2, 0-0 MASC) lost to No. 3 Harvard but drubbed No. 10 Cornell. On the women’s side, the No. 6 Cavaliers (6-2, 0-0 MASC) were also defeated by the No. 1 Crimson and pulled through against the No. 6 Big Red.
Men’s Game 1 — Virginia 3, Harvard 6
Virginia fought hard but was outdone by Harvard’s (4-0, 1-0 Ivy League) superior depth, falling by a 6-3 margin. The Cavaliers managed to grab an early 1-0 lead via sophomore Juan Jose Torres Lara in the second position, only for the Crimson to win the next five games and clinch the series at 5-1.
Virginia flexed their top-tier talent again in the seventh game, where the first position was won by freshman Juan Irisarri. Irisarri’s first home appearance was a 3-0 set sweep of Harvard’s best.
Fine margins were the story of Friday’s loss. Of the three games that went the full five sets, the Cavaliers fell short in all of them. If Virginia wants to compete against top opponents like the Crimson, it will need to be more clinical in games that go the distance.
Women’s Game 1 — Virginia 2, Harvard 7
On the women’s side, Friday’s events showed that the Cavaliers were a step behind Harvard (2-0, 1-0 Ivy League). Virginia never led, and the Crimson were able to clinch a best-of-nine victory in just six matches, eventually putting the Cavaliers away 7-2.
One bright spot in the defeat was the fact that, of the two matches that the Cavaliers won, both were in straight sets. Sophomore Maryam Mian was victorious from the sixth position and freshman Grace Fazzinga got the win from the seventh.
Fazzinga is enjoying her first season for Virginia, boasting an impressive 6-2 record while playing from both the fifth and seventh positions. Her debut campaign with Coach Mark Allen has seen her already become one of the Cavaliers’ most important pieces.
Men’s Game 2 — Virginia 9, Cornell 0
Virginia breezed past Cornell (4-2, 0-0 Ivy League), sweeping the series and even getting a tenth win in an exhibition match. It was a great performance across the board for the Cavaliers, who only ever trailed in two of the ten matches.
With the win, Virginia’s top two performers, Irisarri and Lara, further cemented themselves as the leaders of this team. Irisarri collected his seventh win in just nine matches, while Lara is yet to lose in his six matches. With them occupying the first and second positions, the Cavaliers will be a threat for any opponent.
Women’s Game 2 — Virginia 6, Cornell 3
Virginia earned a hard-fought victory over Cornell (3-2, 0-0 Ivy League) Saturday. Despite coming out hot and winning the first three matches, the Cavaliers had to reach deep in their bag to repel the Big Red’s comeback attempts.
It was freshman Charlotte Pastel who came in clutch for Virginia, her match being the eventual decider for the Cavalier victory. Pastel has competed in the first position in all of her Virginia appearances so far, and is showing no signs of slowing down. Her 6-1 record is shared by Fazzinga, senior Lia Tammam and sophomore Maryam Mian.
The Cavaliers have looked strong in their matches preceding a long winter break. Facing tough Ivy League opponents this early in the season should help new additions to the roster acclimate to college squash and remind veterans of the speed of some of the nation’s best.
Both squads will be back in action Jan. 10 when they host Princeton, another Ivy League team that should offer elite competition. Play is set to begin at 1 p.m.
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