The women's squash team finished its season ranked 10th in the nation following this weekend's Howe Cup Nationals at the Yale University courts. The Jeffs, ranked 11th going into the tournament, competed in the Kurtz Cup for teams ranked ninth through 16th in the country. The Jeffs advanced to the finals where they fell to the Bates College Bobcats, 5-4, ending their season with a record of 15-8.

The weekend began on Friday with a smooth 9-0 defeat of 14th-ranked Vassar College in the first round of play. The Jeffs had beaten the Brewers 8-1 earlier in the season.

Amherst then faced 10th-ranked Cornell University, a team that edged the Jeffs 5-4 on Jan. 23. The women stepped up their level of play and defeated the Big Red, 5-4.

One of the team's goals coming into the tournament was to improve ladder depth, a goal which it accomplished in the Cornell match.

"Many people had wins over people they had lost to earlier in the year," said Head Coach Jackie Bagwell.

Junior Ashley Harmeling's win in the number-one spot over Cornell's Caitlin Russell highlighted the match. Russell had defeated Harmeling in a tight, four-game match in the two teams' regular-season meeting. Heading into this rematch, Amherst and Cornell were tied at four matches apiece and the Jeffs' season was on the line. After losing her first game, Harmeling put Russell away with three straight victories to give herself and the team the win (5-9, 10-8, 9-1, 9-1).

"The one thought going through my head was that I didn't want to let down the team," said Harmeling. "I couldn't have imagined looking them in the eye to say we would not have a chance in the finals." 

Harmeling, Ali Gibbs '05 and Emily O'Brien '07 in the team's one, four and five slots, respectively, went undefeated on the weekend.

"Every single team member fought her heart out each game and it was evident that each person was doing it for her teammates," said Harmeling. 

The team says good-bye to seniors Pam Burkardt and co-captains Liz Martin and Emily Stark, as well as to Tara Kenney '05E.

"I will really miss Liz who is extremely sweet, Stark and Burkardt because they are witty and sarcastic, and Tara Kenney who will graduate next January because she is crazier than I am but also has great insights," said Bagwell. 

The Jeffs are already looking forward to next season. "If we are going to be half as successful next year, returning players need to make squash a 12-month sport, not just the three to four months of the season," said Bagwell. "Next season should show whether this team with such promise does its homework."

Though the team season is over, some of the Jeffs will return to action next Friday through Sunday in the College Squash Association Singles Championships.