Penn Quaker Women's Squash win first ever national championship, defeating Princeton 5-4

New Haven, CT. . February 20, 2000...

Junior Helen Bamber (Zimbabwe) defeated Liz Kelly, 3-0 at the No. 4 position, in the final match of the afternoon as Penn women's squash edged Princeton, 5-4, giving the Quakers their first-ever Howe Cup national championship Sunday afternoon at Yale.

The win capped a perfect season for Penn, as the Quakers finished 11-0 overall and captured their first Ivy League and regular-season national championships.

The Quakers held a 4-3 lead with the No. 4 and 7 matches on court. Senior Paige Kollock (Wyndmoor, Pa.) fell, 3-2, at No. 7, but kept the pressure off of Bamber by being on court at the same time, and the junior cruised to the three-game win, 9-4, 9-0, 9-4.

"The players have done a great job all year long," said Penn Head Coach Demer Holleran, a member of Princeton's 1989 national championship team. "This is the first national title for our players, so it's really exciting."

Freshman Runa Reta (Ottawa, Ontario) defeated Meredith Quick, 3-0, at No. 2 and junior Lauren Patrizio (Philadelphia, Pa.) shutout Emily Eynon, 9-0, 9-5, 9-0 at the No. 5 spot. Also claiming 3-0 wins were sophomore Chrissy Eynon (Cincinnati, Ohio), sister of Emily, and senior Patti Lin (Toms River, N.J.) at Nos. 8 and 9, respectively.

Penn 5, Princeton 4
#1 Julia Beaver (Pr) def. Katie Patrick (P), 3-0
#2 Runa Reta (P) def. Meredith Quick (Pr), 3-0
#3 Blair Irwin (Pr) def. Rina Borromeo (P), 3-0
#4 Helen Bamber (P) def. Liz Kelly (Pr), 3-0
#5 Lauren Patrizio (P) def. Emily Eynon (Pr), 3-0
#6 Anna Minkowski (Pr) def. Megan Fuller (P), 3-1
#7 Courtenay Green (Pr) def. Paige Kollock (P), 3-2
#8 Chrissy Eynon (P) def. Jen Shingleton (Pr), 3-0
#9 Patti Lin (P) def. Rebecca Gutner (Pr), 3-0