NEW HAVEN, CT (January 18, 2009) – Sophomore Kristine Bell (Kingston, Jamaica/Immaculate Conception) delivered a clutch performance to lead the Vassar College women's squash team to its first win over Colby College in nine years on Sunday at Yale University. Bell scratched out a 10-9 fifth-game win to earn a decisive victory at the No. 2 spot, clinching No. 20 Vassar's 7-2 win over No. 14 Colby.

The Brewers improve to 5-5 and next take the court on Saturday, January 24 at Middlebury College at 2:00 p.m.


After Eleanor Weiss (Millwood, VA/Holton-Arms), Caitlin Ly (Tucson, AZ/Clayton), Margaret Taylor (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury), and Olivia Mak (Hayden, Hong Kong/Coenurd Alene) earned wins at No. 3, 5, 6, and 8, respectively, giving the Brewers a 4-2 lead, the scene was set for Bell's heroics.

Bell and Colby's Catherine Monrad traded the first four games, leading them to the decisive fifth game. Down 7-4, Bell clawed back to tie the game 7-7 and then rescued a match ball down 7-8 to even the score 8-8. She and Monrad seesawed five service exchanges with the score 9-9 before finally winning the deciding tenth point. Her win gave the Brewers the five games they needed to notch the win, reinforced by victories from No. 1 Emilie Kraft (Seattle, WA/Seattle Academy) and No. 7 Sarah Hockney (Brooklyn, NY/Saint Ann's).

Vassar 7, Colby 2

1. Emilie Kraft (VC) def. Samanthe Smith (CC), 3-1 (10-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-3)
2. Kristine Bell (VC) def. Catherin Monrad (CC), 3-2 (9-2, 10-9, 9-5, 5-9, 10-9)
3. Eleanor Weiss (VC) def. Maddie Dufour (CC), 3-0 (9-3, 9-4, 9-5)
4. Jess Vogel (CC) def. Hope Blinkoff (CC), 3-0 (9-1, 9-0, 9-4)
5. Caitlin Ly (VC) def. Caroline Reeves (CC), 3-0 (9-7, 9-1, 9-2)
6. Margaret Taylor (VC) def. Jai Paik (CC), 3-0 (9-0, 9-1, 9-2)
7. Sarah Hockney (VC) def. Kaely Shepard (CC), 3-0 (9-2, 9-4, 9-4)
8. Olivia Mak (VC) def. Alison Crevi (CC), 3-1 (9-5, 2-9, 9-1, 9-4)
9. Jessica Kravetz (CC) def. Nina Punukollu (VC), 3-2 (5-9, 8-10, 9-6, 9-3, 9-6)