PHILADELPHIA, PA — The #10 Amherst College women's squash team opened its run at the 2026 CSA National Team Championships (Howe Cup) with a 9–0 loss to #7 Cornell in the round of 16 on Thursday at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center. The Howe Cup includes the top 12 teams in the nation. Amherst shares the draw with several Ivy League schools, as well as Stanford University. Tufts and Trinity were the other two qualifiers from NESCAC in addition to Amherst. The Mammoths dropped to 15–4 on the season in their final event of the year, with several courts going long and competitive before Cornell's depth prevailed.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• Anastasiia Krykun delivered Amherst's standout effort at #2 singles, taking the first game 11–7 in a hard-fought 3–1 loss to Aishwarya Khubchandani (7–11, 11–8, 11–7, 11–9 over 34 minutes). 

• Fionnoula Brandon pushed her #6 match to the brink against Christa Kay, rallying from a 2–0 deficit to force a decider in a 3–2 defeat (11–5, 11–2, 8–11, 8–11, 11–6) that lasted 39 minutes. 

RESULTS (9–0, L):

1. Yee Xin Ying (C) def. Quincy Cline (A), 3–0 (11–2, 11–8, 11–5)

2. Aishwarya Khubchandani (C) def. Anastasiia Krykun (A), 3–1 (7–11, 11–8, 11–7, 11–9)

3. Alysa Ali (C) def. Kanzy Elkaliuoby (A), 3–0 (11–5, 11–6, 11–6)

4. Vicky Lai (C) def. Kristen Daniel (A), 3–0 (11–9, 13–11, 13–11)

5. Sabine Ball (C) def. Alexandra Brown (A), 3–0 (11–7, 12–10, 11–0)

6. Christa Kay (C) def. Fionnoula Brandon (A), 3–2 (11–5, 11–2, 8–11, 8–11, 11–6)

7. Maya Voloshin (C) def. Katherine Grissom (A), 3–0 (11–4, 11–8, 11–5)

8. Saniya Jaggi (C) def. Brigid Brandon (A), 3–0 (11–7, 11–8, 11–7)

9. Lamees Shalaby (C) def. Ella Miller (A), 1–0 (11–8, 9–7 RE) 
   
   UP NEXT: Amherst heads into the first consolation round on March 6 at 3:00 PM against #11 Dartmouth, back at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center. Having edged the Big Green 5–4 earlier this season at home, the Mammoths will aim to replicate that success and build momentum through the consolation bracket.