Squash: NZ crush US to cruise into world squash semifinals

9.30am

With Shelley Kitchen setting the tone, New Zealand crushed the United States 3-0 today to make the semifinals of the women's world team squash championship, being played in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

New Zealand, the sixth seeds, will next take on second-seeded England in the penultimate round tomorrow morning (5am NZT).

Kitchen got New Zealand off to a cracking start with a 9-7 9-2 9-1 demolition of Latasha Khan.

Jaclyn Hawkes then produced a sensational fightback against Michelle Quibell to wrap up the tie.

Hawkes dropped the first two games 5-9 7-9 and trailed 3-0 in the third.

But she stormed back to win the game 9-3, and went on to take the next two 9-3 9-0.

New Zealand No 2 Tamsyn Leevey won the best-of-three dead rubber 9-2 6-9 9-7 against Louisa Hall.

England advanced after a nailbiting 2-1 win over the Netherlands, who New Zealand beat 2-1 in pool play yesterday.

Result: Shelley Kitchen bt Latasha Khan 9-7 9-2 9-1; Jaclyn Hawkes bt Michelle Quibell 5-9 7-9 9-3 9-3 9-0; Tamsyn Leevey bt Louisa Hall 9-2 6-9 9-7.

- NZPA