POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (April 11, 2009) – The last time the Vassar College and Skidmore College women's tennis teams faced off, the 2008 Liberty League Championship was on the line. In that match the Brewers walked away with a 7-2 win and their seventh straight league title, and on Saturday Vassar maintained its edge over the Thoroughbreds, with a 6-3 win in the Walker Field House.

The Brewers improve to 12-4 and head to Massachusetts Institute of Technology next Sunday, April 19 for an 11:00 a.m. match. The Thoroughbreds fall to 11-4.

“Our team has repeatedly proved we can compete,” said head coach Kathy Campbell. “It's one thing to be able to play, but it's another to be able to compete in tough matches and that's what we did today. This was a big confidence booster for us.”

Vassar took a crucial 2-1 lead into singles play, after winning two of three close doubles matches. After trailing 2-4, the No. 3 duo of freshman Jennifer Beckerman and senior Alexis Jacobson fought back for an 8-6 win. At No. 2 doubles, freshman Joy Backer and senior Krista Romita also came back after trailing early to pull out a 9-8 (3) tiebreaker win.

“Jennifer and Alexis improved their consistency a lot throughout that match and did every little thing they needed to do to win, while Joy and Krista did a great job of picking their game up in the tie breaker and applying a lot of pressure to their opponents,” said Campbell. “I knew it would be a long day after seeing how evenly the doubles were matched, and to have that 2-1 lead going into singles was huge.”

After Skidmore's Allie Burns tied the match at 2-2 with a win at No. 3 singles, junior Nicole Pontee and Beckerman gave the Brewers big victories at No. 1 and 2 singles, respectively. At No. 1 singles, Pontee and Danika Robison faced off after last playing for the No. 1 singles title at the New York State Championships in October, which Pontee won, 6-4, 6-4. Pontee again got the best of Robison with a 6-4, 6-2 victory.

At No. 2 singles, Beckerman faced a tough opponent in Rachel Loeb, ranked No. 45 in the last National Individual rankings, released in June of 2008. The freshman was unfazed by her competition, however, picking up a 6-4, 6-2 win.

“Jen played superbly today and that was a huge win for her against a strong opponent,” said Campbell.

With Pontee and Beckerman giving the Brewers a 4-2 edge, sophomore Elizabeth Anderson's 7-5, 6-3 victory at No. 5 singles proved the decisive win. Anderson accomplished the difficult feat of coming back from a 4-0 deficit in the first set.

“Caroline Sherman [Anderson's opponent] is the ultimate retriever, which forced Liz to raise her level of consistency,” explained Campbell. “She grew more and more confident and remained confident throughout the match.”

“Liz stayed in command of the points and refused to allow her opponent to come back,” added assistant coach Mark Chace.

Jacobson notched Vassar's final point at No. 4 singles, with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory, while senior Jamison Steele dropped a tough marathon 1-6, 6-4, (11-9) match at No. 6 singles.


Vassar 6, Skidmore 3

Doubles
1. Danika Robison/Rachel Loeb (SC) def. Nicole Pontee/Jamison Steele (VC), 8-5
2. Krista Romita/Joy Backer (VC) def. Stephanie Abrams/Allie Burns (SC), 9-8(3)
3. Jennifer Beckerman/Alexis Jacobson (VC) def. Laura Attley/Caroline Sherman (SC), 8-6
Exhibition
1. Caroline Dunn-Rankin/Nicole Block (VC) def. Lindsay Hartley/Ashley McEvoy (SC), 8-0

Singles
1. Nicole Pontee (VC) def. Danika Robison (SC), 6-4, 6-2
2. Jennifer Beckerman (VC) def. Rachel Loeb (SC), 6-4, 6-2
3. Allie Burns (SC) def. Joy Backer (VC), 6-3, 6-0
4. Alexis Jacobson (VC) def. Laura Attley (SC), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
5. Elizabeth Anderson (VC) def. Caroline Sherman (SC), 7-5, 6-3
6. Stephanie Abrams (SC) def. Jamison Steele (SC), 1-6, 6-4, (11-9)
Exhibition
7. Nicole Block (VC) def. Lindsay Hartley (SC), 6-0, 6-0
8. Caroline Dunn-Rankin (VC) def. Ashley McEvoy, 8-2