Harvard Crimson Take Top Spot in 2015 Women’s National Team Championships for Squash

The Howe Cup Final wrapped up this weekend with Harvard University’s women’s squash team defeating players from Trinity by a score of 7-2. The tournament was part of the 2015 Women’s National Team Championships.

The Harvard Crimson won on their home squash courts at the Murr Center. This was the third time in three years that Harvard and Trinity have played against each other in the Howe Cup Final. Harvard won in 2013, and Trinity defeated Harvard last year.

Prior to defeating Trinity on Sunday, Feb. 15, the Harvard Crimson beat no. 8 team George Washington University 9-7 on Friday and the no. 4 team from Princeton on Saturday 12-3 and 5-2. This was the Crimson’s seventh consecutive appearance in the finals.

The Crimson were the favorites this year, ranked first in the College Squash Association’s preseason poll.

During the season, they stayed in the top spot until early January, when University of Pennsylvania took over. Trinity then knocked University of Pennsylvania from the no. 1 spot a week later. This season, Trinity and Harvard didn’t play each other until early February.

During the semifinals, Harvard eked out a win against Princeton 4-2. Harvard’s Dileas MacGowen secured the win for the team over Tara Harrington of Princeton.

The final was delayed on Sunday due to the inclement weather. The snow pushed the game into the afternoon once the conditions in Boston were clear.

In addition to playing the final, Harvard senior Amanda Sobhy was presented with the 2015 Richey Award. The Richey Award is the top individual award in women’s college squash given to a player who exemplifies the ideals of squash through devotion to the game, strong sense of fairness and excellence in play and leadership.

Sobhy was among the top players during the finals and needed only 11 points to win her three games.

Ultimately, she and other players led the team to a 7-2 victory.

The Crimson are coached by Mike Way, who is the Gregory Lee ’87 and Russell Ball ’88 Endowed Coach for Squash at Harvard University, and assistant coaches Hameed Ahmed, Luke Hammond and Beth Zeitlin. Haley Mendez and Megan Murray are the team’s co-captains.