Written by Daphne Panie

As the winter season ends, the Girls Varsity Squash team is heading to Nationals in Philadelphia. With more wins than losses this season, the team secured an overall strong score, improving throughout the winter months. 

Despite heartbreaking defeats against GA and Sacred Heart, the team is determined to do well in the nationals this weekend. Melanie Asness, one of the captains emphasized that “every match is an opportunity to learn, and we’ve had moments where we’ve played our best squash and others where we’ve had to dig deep and bounce back”. 

Although the team lost many players this season, it was compensated by the addition of many freshmen, resulting in many team bonding exercises. The challenge matches, occurring once a week, have allowed the team to closely evaluate the level of each player, ensuring wins against strong schools. This also adds a touch of competitiveness and excitement to practices, making them engaging and pushing the team up to their highest level. This dedication and work have paid off as the team won many matches, and Sophia Lynch ‘25 stated that she felt “good about the team’s performance throughout the season”. 

This season also saw a lot of bonding and spirit, bringing the girls more united than ever. Alexandra Lynch ‘27, 3rd in the team based on the ladder system, shared that: “The team has a good spirit and works well together, making us stronger against other schools.”  Melanie Asness added that “the support the team has for each other on and off the court is what makes this group special, and that’s going to be a huge strength for us in the final stretch of the season”.

Captain Lynch emphasized that the team, placed in division 3 for nationals, expects to shine. As most of the practice time was centered around drills and matches, she said she is excited about the upcoming nationals and that the team is “going to dominate.” Melanie added that she wants the team “to step on the court with confidence, play smart and aggressive squash, and leave knowing we gave it our all.”

The girls’ energy and expectations for the nationals are high. Their dedication, hard work, and perseverance have set the foundations for an unforgettable tournament this weekend. With their goal of being at the top of the division by the end of the tournament, we wish the girls’ squash varsity team luck for their upcoming matches. 

Congratulations to the team on placing first in Division III. Thank you for this incredible season. Let’s go, Wildcats!