Written by S. Quinn DeJoy and J. Murrer

Mar. 18, 2015: For Megan Murray, Bronxville High School Class of 2011, squash has been a big part of her college experience. Murray was a four-year starter for Harvard University, and during that time, the Crimson lost only two matches and won three national championships.

The Harvard team had great success during Murray's freshman year, winning both the Ivy League title and the national championship. In her debut year, Murray had ten wins and only two losses.

As a sophomore, Murray was 13-3, and Harvard won its second national championship, pulling off an exhilarating 5-4 victory over Trinity College. The women were ecstatic about their win, but the celebration was short-lived for Murray. Shortly after the match, her father pulled her aside to deliver upsetting news. Murray's grandfather, who was at the championship game to cheer her on, had gone downstairs to the restroom, suffered a heart attack, and died.

"I was shocked and had never experienced going from such a high to the absolute lowest," said Murray. "This is a moment I will never forget. The outpouring of love and support from my teammates and coaches is impossible to put into words, and I am forever grateful to them. We got national champion bracelets that year, and I inscribed his name on the back of mine; I wear it every single day."

The year after that bittersweet victory, Harvard suffered a disheartening 5-4 loss to Trinity in the finals, setting up an intense rivalry for the championships this year. Co-captain Murray and her teammates were ready and determined to take back the title.

Unfortunately, three weeks before the national championships, the Crimson had a serious setback. Murray suffered a bad hamstring pull and her co-captain, Haley Mendez, tore her ACL. Not to be deterred, the Harvard team members marched on, fighting the battle for themselves, their teammates, and their injured captains. They finished the regular season with just one loss and took back the national championship in February with a 7-2 victory over rival Trinity. While Murray was unable to play in that final match because of her injury, she was proud of the way the team fought for the win.

"They played with such fight," said Murray, "and somehow still made the exciting result feel rewarding for my co-captain and myself. Even though we weren't able to play, it was an amazing feeling. Being on the squash team here has definitely been one of the most rewarding commitments I've made in college."

Pictured here: The Harvard women's squash team.