The #16 Middlebury women's squash team began its season with a pair of losses against two teams inside the top-20 spots. The Panthers fell to #7 Cornell by a 9-0 tally in their initial home match on Saturday before dropping a similar decision the next day at #11 Dartmouth.

HIGHLIGHTS VS. CORNELL

• The Big Red raced out to a 3-0 lead with victories at #9, #2 and #5, respectively.
• Cornell grabbed a point in the eighth spot before clinching the match with a sweep at the seventh position.
• With triumphs at #6, #1 and #3, the visitors pushed their advantage to 8-0.
• Lillian Showalter battled in the final match in the fourth slot, splitting the first two games before falling 3-1 to Sabine Ball.

HIGHLIGHTS VS. DARTMOUTH

• Dartmouth took the opening three points, highlighted by sweeps in the fifth and ninth spots.
• Izzy Ronda claimed the second game at #2 before falling by a 3-1 tally to Ziyi Liu.
• The Big Green continued their momentum with victories in the #6 and #8 places on the ladder to secure the clinching point.
• Lindsey Burnham put forward a strong performance in the top position, rebounding after dropping the opening game to lose in four (11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-3).
• Dartmouth secured sweeps in the seventh, fourth and third slots for the 9-0 final.

NOTES

• Cornell and Middlebury squared off for the ninth time and the first since 2017-18, while the Panthers and Big Green played for the 39th occasion. 

Middlebury returns home for a season-best 10-match homestand beginning Friday against William Smith at 4:30 p.m.