The women’s squash team bounced back from a disappointing showing at the NESCAC tournament with strong play against Mount Holyoke College this Friday.

At the NESCAC championships two weeks ago, the Jeffs lost to Bates in the tournament’s main bracket. The Jeffs, however, brushed off the defeat and beat both Bowdoin and Hamilton in the consolation bracket before taking on their local rivals this weekend.

The Jeffs, ranked 12th in the nation, beat the No. 15 Lyons by a slim 5-4 margin. The win marked Amherst’s first triumph over the Five College neighbor since the 2005-6 campaign. The Jeffs got victories from Chandler Lusardi ’13 at the No. 2 spot and Anne Piper ’13 at No. 4. Amherst swept spots seven through nine with Evelyn Kramer ’14, Caitlin Demkin ’11 and Lena Rice ’14 coming out on top as well.

The Jeffs will conclude their season this weekend at Princeton University, where they will join a host of teams competing in the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championships. The team will look to place well in the B Division, playing against squads ranked from ninth to 16th in the nation. Amherst put up a 2-1 record in the B Division last year to finish with a national ranking of 13th.

The Jeffs will have the opportunity to avenge their loss to Bates at NESCACs, as the two teams will square off this Friday at Princeton. Following the team championships, the CSA Individual Championships at Dartmouth on the weekend of March 4 will mark the very end of the season.

The men’s squash team did not compete in a match this past weekend, but used the extra time for rigorous, high-tempo practices. The team has focused on fitness training over the past week to improve quickness, agility and endurance. Players said that blistering sprint workouts across the courts — “suicides” — were particuarly strenuous. The men’s team will return to action on Feb. 25 to compete in the C Division, which includes teams ranked 17th to 24th in the country.