NORTHAMPTON, MA (March 28, 2010) – The Vassar College and Wellesley College women's tennis teams have played for the Seven Sisters Championship the last nine years, and the Blue have emerged victorious the last four times. The Brewers snapped that streak on Sunday at Smith College, edging Wellesley 3-2 to unseat the four-time champions and take home the Seven Sisters trophy for the first time since 2005.

The Brewers improve to 13-2 after sweeping Bryn Mawr College, 5-0, earlier in the day, and next host Hunter on April 7 at 3:30 p.m. Vassar, ranked No. 22 nationally and No. 6 in the Northeast, finished with 17 points to edge Wellesley, ranked No. 11 in the Northeast, with 16 points. Mount Holyoke College took third place with eight points, followed by host Smith (five points) and Bryn Mawr (four points).

Wellesley defeated Vassar by a 3-2 margin in each of the last four seasons, and the Brewers returned the favor on Sunday with a one-point win of their own. Doubles play proved the difference, as the Blue took two of three singles matches, but both Vassar doubles teams won close matches to take home the title.

At No. 1 doubles, sophomores Joy Backer and Nicole Block, in just their fourth match playing together after joining for Seven Sisters, defeated Mohona Siddique and Nathalie Herman of Wellesley in two close sets, 6-4, 6-3. The No. 2 duo of freshman Natalie Santiago and junior Alyssa Roush also played two close sets, holding off Alice Kate Cummings and Whitney Reid, 7-5, 6-3, to improve to 8-2 on the season.

Sophomore Jennifer Beckerman recorded Vassar's lone singles win at No. 2, defeating Wellesley's Jacqueline Shen to improve to 15-5 on the season after going 4-0 at Seven Sisters. Senior No. 1 Nicole Pontee and freshman No. 3 Jennifer Ruther both saw remarkable 14-match winning streaks snapped in the title match against Wellesley. Pontee dropped a 6-1, 6-1 decision to Marie Watanbe, just her third loss of the season as she fell to 20-3 in singles play. Ruther dropped her match to Meghan Stubblebine, 6-3, 6-3, only the second loss of her 16-2 freshman season.

Earlier in the day, the Brewers breezed past Bryn Mawr. Vassar swept all three singles matches, and dropped just six games combined in doubles.

After going 4-0 over the weekend, Beckerman at No. 2 singles and Backer and Block at No. 1 doubles were named to the All-Seven Sisters Team as their respective flight champions. Wellesley's Watanbe, Stubblebine, and Cummings and Reid were also named to the All-Seven Sisters Team at No. 1 and No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles.

Vassar 3, Wellesley 2

Singles
1. Marie Watanbe (WC) def. Nicole Pontee (VC), 6-1, 6-1
2. Jennifer Beckerman (VC) def. Jacqueline Shen (WC), 6-4, 6-4
3. 3. Meghan Stubblebine (WC) def. Jennifer Ruther (VC), 6-3, 6-3

Doubles
1. Joy Backer/Nicole Block (VC) def. Mohona Siddique/Nathalie Herman (WC), 6-4, 6-3
2. Natalie Santiago/Alyssa Roush (VC) def. Alice Kate Cummings/Whitney Reid (WC), 7-5, 6-3

Vassar 5, Bryn Mawr 0

Singles
1. Nicole Pontee (VC) def. Anna Perocchi (BMC), 6-0, 6-0
2. Jennifer Beckerman (VC) def. Melanie Shafer (BMC), 6-0, 6-0
3. Jennifer Ruther (VC) def. Elizabeth Olecki (BMC), 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
1. Joy Backer/Nicole Block (VC) def. Beth Wiseman/Julia Jameson (BMC), 6-2, 6-1
2. Natalie Santiago/Melanie Horn (VC) def. EB Verhoerve/Leah Raj (BMC), 6-1, 6-2