HARLEM, NY (December 6, 2009) -- Following a tough 5-4 loss the prior day, the No. 18 Vassar College women's squash team split matches on Sunday, with a 9-0 sweep of Vanderbilt University and a 9-0 loss to No. 12 Bates College at the Street Squash facility in Harlem.

The Brewers, who dropped a 5-4 decision to No. 17 Amherst College on Saturday, close out the semester with a 4-2 record. Vassar will not compete again until January 23, when it travels to Amherst to play Colby College and Tufts University.

Against the high-ranked Bates squad, the Brewers put up a fight, going to at least four games in four matches. At No. 7, freshman Alexa Lichtenstein took her opponent, Morgan Maciewicz, to five games, eventually falling 11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8.

The Brewers had a smooth ride in the second match, as Vanderbilt brought just four players to New York.

Vassar cruised through those four matches at Nos. 1-4, as senior Emilie Kraft, junior Kristine Bell, freshman Libby Pei, and senior Hope Blinkoff, respectively, registerd 3-0 sweeps.

The venue for these contests was the Street Squash Facility in Harlem on 116th Street West and the Brewers were greeted by Vassar Squash alum Ryan McGinley-Stempel, who upon graduation decided to work in the sport. Street Squash provides after-school tutoring, college preparation, and squash instruction to at-risk 6th to 12th graders in Harlem. Over 150 students are in the program and each child is seen at least 4 times a week. "We hold our participants to high standards and it's a great partnership," said the Vassar '08 alum.

It's a wonderful squash facility that is very fitting for New York as it's all hustle and bustle with brightly lit courts. A good crowd was on hand with numerous parents and friends crowding into the building.

Bates 9, Vassar 0

1. Cheri-Ann Parris (B) def. Emilie Kraft (VC), 3-0 (11-9, 11-4, 14-12).
2. Hannah Laverty (B) def. Kristine Bell (VC), 3-1 (11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7).
3. Whitney Roller (B) def. Libby Pei (VC), 3-0 (11-2, 11-8, 11-4).
4. Mimi Neal (B) def. Hope Blinkoff (VC), 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-8).
5. Ali Bragg (B) def. Caitlin Ly (VC), 3-0 (11-9, 12-10, 11-6).
6. Liza Durison (B) def. Meg Taylor (VC), 3-1 (11-5, 2-11, 12-10, 11-7).
7. Morgan Maciewicz (B) def. Alexa Lichtenstein (VC), 3-2 (11-8, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8).
8. Carley Rice (B) def. Olivia Mak (VC), 3-1 (7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9).
9. Megan Ruth (B) def. Jill Levine (VC), 3-0 (11-9, 11-3, 11-5).
Exhibition:
10. Courtney Talcott (B) def. Avery Siciliano (VC), 3-2 (11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 6-11, 12-10).

Vassar 9, Vanderbilt 0
1. Emilie Kraft (VC) def. Maggie Bonscaren (VU), 3-0 (11-4, 11-0, 11-3)
2. Kristine Bell (VC) def. Lucy Rice (VU), 3-0 (11-0, 11-1, 11-1)
3. Libby Pei (VC) def. Brooke Hammer (VU), 3-0 (11-4, 11-1, 11-4)
4. Hope Blinkoff (VC) def. Gabriela Augiolillo (VU), 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-7)
5. Caitlin Ly (VC), by default
6. Meg Taylor (VC), by default
7. Alexa Lichtenstein (VC), by default
8. Olivia Mak (VC), by default
9. Jill Levine (VC), by default