No. 6 Stanford women’s squash (8-7) earned fifth place in the Howe Cup at Princeton University this weekend after beating No. 5 Yale for the first time in program history. The Cardinal had suffered a close 5-4 loss at home to the Bulldogs about a month ago, but this time was able to clinch a 5-4 win of their own.

In its upset, Stanford received wins from its No. 3 player, senior CC Ho and its No. 5 player, sophomore Tara Shannon. Both Ho and Shannon saw close matches but were able to stay strong on the court to get the first wins. Meanwhile, alongside these top players, sophomore Lucy Rowe and junior Tatyanna Dadabbo also contributed to the team effort with wins.

The Cardinal’s fifth-place finish in this National Cup was their highest rank in program history. In previous seasons, Stanford had come close, placing sixth behind Yale and this year’s champions, Harvard.

Looking ahead, several of Stanford’s best players, including Ho and Shannon, are expected to travel back to the East Coast next week for the CSA Individual National Championships. This tournament will begin on March 3 and will be played at Dartmouth University. The Cardinal are projected to compete against some of the same Yale opponents that they beat at the Howe Cup.

Contact Sydney Shaw at sshaw17 ‘at’ stanford.edu.