Vassar College Athletics

NEW HAVEN, CT (February 26, 2010) – The Vassar College women’s squash team took the first step towards reclaiming the Walker Cup of the College Squash Association (CSA) Team Championships with an 8-1 quarterfinal win over Georgetown University on Friday at Yale University.

The Brewers, who last won the Walker Cup in 2008, improve to 8-6 and will play Franklin & Marshall tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. Vassar narrowly defeated Franklin & Marshall earlier in the season, by a score of 5-4.

Although the final score was decisively in Vassar’s favor, the Brewers had to work hard for the win, as two matches went to five games and three went to four games. Senior No. 1 Emilie Kraft, junior No. 2 Kristine Bell, and freshman No. 7 Alexa Lichtenstein all needed four games to defeat their Hoya opponents.

Sophomore No. 6 Meg Taylor’s eight-match winning streak appeared to be in jeopardy, but she pulled out the five-game 8-11, 13-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3 win over Georgetown’s Caitlin Fross to up the streak to nine and improve to 13-1 on the season. Lichtenstein has also won nine straight and is 13-1.

The Brewers’ sole loss came in the other five-game match, as No. 4 freshman Libby Pei saw a 2-0 lead disappear in a 5-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 decision.

Senior No. 3 Caitlin Ly, senior No. 8 Olivia Mak and sophomore No. 9 Nina Punukollu all picked up sweeps.

Vassar 8, Georgetown 1

1. Emilie Kraft (VC) def. Katie O’Mealia (GU), 3-1 (5-11,11-6,11-5,11-2)
2. Kristine Bell (VC) def. Morgan Breck (GU), 3-1 (11-2,11-3,5-11,11-9)
3. Caitlin Ly (VC) def. Liani Balasuriya (GU), 3-0 (11-6,11-7,11-6)
4. Sarah Kencel (GU) def. Libby Pei (VC), 3-2 (6-11,7-11,11-8,11-7,11-8)
5. Hope Blinkoff (VC) def. Carolyn Meister (GU), 3-0 (11-7,11-7,11-7)
6. Meg Taylor (VC) def. Caitlin Fross (GU), 3-2 (8-11,13-11,11-3,9-11,11-3)
7. Alexa Lichtenstein (VC) def. Jane Dewire (GU), 3-1 (11-9,12-10,11-4)
8. Olivia Mak (VC) def. Bethan McGarry (GU), 3-0 (12-10,11-4,11-3)
9. Nina Punukollu (VC) def. Sarah Vazquez (GU), 3-0 (11-8,11-2,11-6)