The 13th-ranked Middlebury women's squash team held off #20 Bates in the College Squash Association (CSA) Kurtz Cup Quarterfinals 5-4 on Friday morning. With the win, the Panthers advance to the semifinals on Saturday, taking on #16 Williams at 12:30 p.m. 
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• Mariana Reedich got things going for Middlebury, easing to a 3-0 victory (11-9, 11-4, 11-1) in the eighth slot.
• At the top of the ladder, Bobcat Andy Martagon was triumphant in three games to tie the contest at one win apiece.
• In the fourth spot, Abby Holding edged her opponent 11-9 and 11-8 to gain a two-game lead, before cruising in the third (11-3) to give the Panthers a 2-1 advantage.
• Madeline Schwarz swept Hollis Hale by scores of 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 to extend the Middlebury lead to 3-1.
• Bates battled back, claiming consecutive 3-2 triumphs at #6 and #2, respectively, to tie the match 3-3.
• Maya Bardorf recorded a three-game win at #7, before Margaux Comai came from behind to win 3-1 in the fifth spot to clinch the victory.
• Aasya Patel earned a hard-fought 3-2 triumph at #3 for Bates, bringing the final score to 5-4. 

NOTES

• The Panthers are making their 39th appearance at the championships since 1985, only missing the 2021 season due to the pandemic. 
• Middlebury has landed a spot in the Kurtz Cup for the 13th time and first time since 2020. 
• The Panthers and Bates met for the 53rd time, with Middlebury owning a 37-17 mark in the series.
• In the regular-season match in January, the Panthers came away with a decisive 8-1 triumph.
• Middlebury has claimed nine of the last 11 meetings with the Bobcats.  

Williams advanced to the semifinals with a 6-3 victory in a quarterfinal on Friday against Amherst. The Panthers defeated the Ephs 5-4 on January 20.