IRVINE, CA (March 12, 2009) – In a match that lasted just over four hours, in which three of the six
singles matches went three sets, the No. 23 nationally ranked Vassar College women's tennis team dropped a 5-4 decision to No. 12 ranked Bowdoin College on Thursday in Irvine, CA. The loss represented the Brewers' first loss in the spring, and just their second all season.

The Brewers fall to 4-1 in the spring, 7-2 overall. On Friday, Vassar travels to Claremont, CA from where the team is staying in Newport Beach, to face the No. 9 nationally ranked Pomona College team.

"I'm so proud of the way that our team competed,” said head coach Kathy Campbell. “They gave it their all, went for their shots in tight situations, fought for every point and left it all on the court. We played smart, composed tennis. The teams were evenly matched and the difference came down to a few
points."

Vassar clinched two of the three doubles matches to establish a 2-1 lead going into singles. At No. 2 doubles, senior Krista Romita (Baltimore, MD/Roland Park Country Day) and freshman Joy Backer (Del Mar, CA/Torrey Pines) picked up a win as they executed their attacking game plan very well. The Vassar duo took an early lead and then the momentum shifted in Bowdoin's favor as the Polar Bear team took a 4-5 edge. Romita and Backer buckled down and won the next four games to clinch the match.

The No. 3 pair of freshman Jennifer Beckerman (Santa Barbara, CA/Santa Barbara) and senior Alexis Jacobson (New Canaan, CT/New Canaan) broke Bowdoin's serve early in the match and held that narrow lead for the duration, winning the match 8-6.

“Alexis and Jennifer played more aggressively as the match transpired which was a key factor in
maintaining the lead,” said Campbell.

The singles competitions were equally close as the matches at No. 1, 3, and 6 all lasted three sets. The Brewers clinched two of these close matches with Vassar senior Jamison Steele (Newport Beach, CA/Corona del Mar) turning around a 2-6 first set by winning the second set 6-1 and the final set 6-3. "Jamie played smart, confident and mentally tough tennis today,” said Campbell. “She hit deeper and more consistently in the final sets. She made great gets and forced errors from her opponent. I'm proud of the way she fought and stayed so focused in this intense match."

Freshman Backer also battled hard for a win at No. 3 singles. After being down 1-4 in the first set, she
changed tactics to win it 6-4. Being down 1-4 again in the second set, she battled back losing it 3-6.
“This match featured long points with each player working her way to the net,” explained Campbell. “Joy's high level of fitness, quickness and versatility, and her aggressive net play enabled her to win a very high percentage of points at the net. She also mixed up her passing shots and hit many winning lobs when her opponent was at the net. Joy stayed composed, confident and fought hard when she was down in the sets coming back to win.”

In the extremely tight competition, all of Vassar's losses came by narrow margins. At No. 1 doubles, Vassar established an early lead with Bowdoin coming back in the match to take an 8-6 victory. At first singles junior Nicole Pontee (Homewood, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) won the first set 7-5, lost the second set 1-6 and came back from a 1-4 deficit in the third set to make it 3-4 but Bowdoin eventually took the final set 6-4 in a match that featured two nationally ranked players. At No. 5 singles, Bowdoin's Stephanie Langer defeated sophomore Elizabeth Anderson (San Francisco, CA/Lick-Wilmerding) 6-3, 6-2. In two extremely long two-set matches, Bowdoin outlasted Beckerman, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2, while at No. 4 Jacobson lost to Liz Pedowitz 6-1, 6-4.

Doubles
1. D'Elia/Lombardi, Bowdoin d. Pontee/Steele, Vassar 8-6
2. Krista Romita/Backer, Vassar d. Pedowitz/Hitch, 8-5
3. Beckerman/Jacobson, Vassar d. Hannah Hoerner/Waldman, Bowdoin 8-6

Singles
1. Sarah D'Elia, Bowdoin d. Nicole Pontee, Vassar 5-7, 6-1, 6-4
2. Emily Lombardi, Bowdoin d. Jennifer Beckerman, Vassar 6-3, 6-3
3. Joy Backer, Vassar d. Rachel Waldman, Bowdoin 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4. Liz Pedowitz, Bowdoin d. Alexis Jacobson, Vassar 6-1, 6-4
5. Steph Langer, Bowdoin d. Elizabeth Anderson, Vassar 6-3, 6-2
6. Jamie Steele, Vassar d. Charlotte Hitch, Bowdoin 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
7. Hannah Hoerner, Bowdoin d. Caroline Dunn-Rankin, Vassar 9-7 (exhibition)