No. 4 Harvard Women’s Squash Falls in Ivy Semifinal Heartbreaker

No. 4 Harvard women’s squash saw its inaugural Ivy League Tournament run come to a narrow end last weekend, falling 5-4 to No. 2 Penn in a tightly contested semifinal in Princeton, N.J. The third-seeded Crimson (8-3, 4-2 Ivy) battled throughout the afternoon, but ultimately came up just short in a deciding five-game match.

Despite the setback, Harvard placed four student-athletes on the All-Ivy League teams, extending the program’s streak to ten consecutive seasons with at least three honorees.

The semifinal unfolded as a back-and-forth contest from the very opening wave. After the Quakers (14-2, 5-1) claimed the first point at eights, the Crimson responded quickly. Second on the ladder, Junior Lucie Stefanoni put Harvard on the board with a composed 3-1 win, rebounding from a second-game loss with two identical 11-8 finishes to close out the match. Freshman Dixon Hill followed with another 3-1 victory at sixes, splitting the opening two games before taking control down the stretch and conceding just ten total points across the final two games. The pair of wins gave the Crimson a 2-1 edge after the first wave.

At the top of the ladder, Penn responded with a five-game win to level the score. However, Crimson senior Molly Stoltz delivered one of the most dramatic performances of the afternoon at nines. After dropping the first two games, Stoltz rallied to win three straight, including a 12-10 decider to clinch the match and restore Harvard’s advantage.

The momentum continued to swing. The Quakers captured consecutive wins at fours and sevens to move within one point of clinching. Harvard’s captain Saran Nghiem responded with a steady 3-1 victory at threes, winning the final two games while dropping just nine combined points to tie the match at 4-4.

After Nghiem’s win, the overall result came down to the decision at fives. It was there that Penn prevailed in a five-game battle to secure the 5-4 result and end the Crimson’s campaign in the inaugural tournament.

Harvard concluded the regular season 8-2 overall, highlighted by a 9-0 sweep of No. 11 Tufts, which helped regain momentum after back-to-back Ancient Eight losses to Penn and No. 1 Princeton. The Crimson recorded five clean sweeps during the year and showcased depth throughout the ladder, promising a bright future.

Individually, Harvard’s consistency was recognized by the league office. Sophomore Caroline Fouts and Stefanoni earned First-Team All-Ivy League honors after posting 9-1 records in the top two positions. Nghiem, a four-time All-Ivy selection, and sophomore Ocean Ma were named to the Second Team.

Fouts also reached the CSA Individual National Championship final earlier this season, finishing as the tournament runner-up.

With the Ivy League Tournament complete, the Crimson now turns its attention to the CSA Team National Championship beginning March 5, where it will look to regroup and vie for the national title. Currently ranked fourth in the country, the team is well-positioned to make a strong run.