The 13th-ranked Middlebury women's squash team has earned the third seed in the NESCAC Tournament and takes on #18 Bowdoin on Saturday in quarterfinal action. Amherst is hosting the championship weekend for both the men and the women.
 
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY

• Middlebury had a phenomenal regular season, posting a 7-1 conference mark.
• The Panthers tied a program record for longest win streak, tallying nine-consecutive triumphs during the middle of the campaign.
• With one match left to play on Wednesday, Middlebury currently owns an impressive 12-2 record. 
• The program has advanced to the NESCAC Semifinals on 12 occasions, with the most recent being in 2020.
• The Panthers have made one championship appearance (2011) and are seeking the program's first conference crown.

PANTHERS TO WATCH

• Starting the year in the #1 spot was Sabrina Schwarz, before transitioning to the second slot. At #2, Schwarz owns a 3-1 record.
• Lindsey Burnham began playing later in the season, tallying three wins at the top of the ladder.
• The middle of the lineup has featured Margaux Comai, Abby Holding and Eva Finney. Primarily playing in the fifth spot (5-2), Finney claimed her 25th career victory recently. Holding is seeking her 25th triumph, and owns a 7-3 mark in the fourth slot. 
• After dropping her first match of the new year, Maya Bardorf went on to claim nine-straight victories, including the 30th of her career. Bardorf owns a 9-1 record at #6.
• Starting the year with 12-match winning streaks was Mariana Reedich and Madeline Schwarz. The Panthers are 9-0 in their primary respective spots of #7 and #8.
• Rounding out the consistent lineup competitors is Clementine Campbell. The rookie owns a 7-2 record in the ninth spot of the ladder.

ABOUT BOWDOIN

• Bowdoin enters the weekend riding a three-match winning streak.
• The Polar Bears are 7-6 this year with a 4-4 conference mark.
• The program is making its 16th appearance in the tournament, and looking to advance to the semifinals for the first time.  

POLAR BEARS TO WATCH

• Bowdoin's lineup has been consistent since the third match of the campaign. Emma Kate Watts-Roy has primarily held down the top spot, while Amanda Cowhey has played at #2.
• Polar Bears Darcy Weber and Skylar Spaulding have consistently competed in the third and fourth spots respectively.
• At #5 and #6, Clare Collins and Eshika Tangri lead the team with six wins on the season.
• Mira Kirande, Janie Lytle and Delphine King round out the seventh, eighth and ninth spots, respectively.

SERIES HISTORY

• Middlebury and Bowdoin meet for the 49th time in a back-and-forth series. The Panthers own a 27-21 record, including a 7-2 win earlier this year.
• Both teams have owned 11-match winning streaks over the other since their first meeting during the 1978-19 season.
• The programs have met just twice in the NESCAC Tournament, both during the quarterfinal round. Middlebury swept Bowdoin 9-0 in 2013, while the Polar Bears edged the Panthers 5-4 in 2007. 

ABOUT THE OPPONENTS

• The unbeaten and 16-time NESCAC Champions Trinity, have earned the top seed this year. The Bantams own an impressive 48-0 record in tournament play.
• Tufts secured the second seed, and will look to advance to the championship for the third-straight year, while seeking its first crown. 
• Fourth-seeded Amherst looks to advance to the championship for the first time in program history, while fifth-seeded Williams has squared off against Trinity in the title tilt on 12 occasions.
• Of the top five seeds, Middlebury has played three this year, edging the Mammoths and the Ephs 5-4, while falling 8-1 to the Jumbos. 

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

• 2024 NESCAC WOMEN'S SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP
  • Saturday, February 10 at Amherst (5-court system)
    • Quarterfinal Matches
      • No. 5 Williams vs. No. 4 Amherst – 10:00 a.m. – Courts 1-5
      • No. 6 Bowdoin vs. No. 3 Middlebury – Not before 12:00 p.m. – Courts 6-10
      • No. 7 Bates vs. No. 2 Tufts – Not before 2:00 p.m. – Courts 1-5
      • No. 8 Wesleyan vs. No. 1 Trinity – Not before 4:00 p.m. – Courts 6-10
  • Sunday, February 11 at Amherst (3-court system)
    • Semifinal Matches
      • Winner of No. 3/No. 6 vs. Winner of No. 2/No. 7  – 9:00 a.m. – Courts 8-10
      • Winner of No. 4/No. 5 vs. Winner of No. 1/No. 8  – Not before 12:00 p.m. – Courts 1-3
    • Final
      • Semifinal Winners – 4:00 p.m. – Courts 1-3
• CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL