HARTFORD, CT (February 22, 2015) -- The Vassar College men's squash team battled Bard College for the fourth time in 2014-15 Sunday morning, but this time it was for a College Squash Association H Division team title. 

The teams had split the previous three matches 2-1 in favor of Vassar College, but the last two outings had been both spirited and close. Sunday's match did not disappoint, as the Brewers earned a thrilling 5-4 win over Bard to earn their first-ever CSA H Division title in action from Trinity College. 

With the match entering the final flight of matches tied at three, it was Vassar College's No. 1 player Vincent Mencotti (Birmingham, MI/Brother Rice) who put the Brewers up 4-3 thanks to a thrilling five-set win over John Levering of Bard. Levering captured the first set 16-14, and took a two-set lead with a 11-9 win in the second. Mencotti battled back, earning an 11-6 win in the third game, knotting the match at two games apiece with an 11-9 win in the fourth. In the final set, it was all Mencotti, posting a 11-2 win to push VC to within one of the title. 

The Raptors didn't give up though, as Abe Etkin outlasted senior captain David Garfinkel (Larchmont, NY/Mamaroneck) of Vassar in five sets. Garfinkel fell down 2-0, but rallied to force a fifth game. In the end, Etkin was able to deadlock the overall match score at four with a 11-5, 11-4, 9-11, 5-11 and 11-3 win at No. 4. 

It all came down to the No. 7 spot, and Vassar junior Ben Kurchin (Rochester, NY/Harley School) and Bard's Olivia Cornali would put on a show. Cornali took the first set 11-6, and the two players alternated wins over the next two games to put the Raptors within a set of the title. Kurchin breezed to the win in the fourth with and 11-3 win, forcing a decisive fifth set. Cornali led for much of the fifth set, but Kurchin was able to come from behind to pull out the 11-9 win, giving VC the championship. 

Vassar also got wins earlier in the match at No. 5, as senior captain Ryan Kurtzman (Chicago, IL/Latin School of Chicago) finished her career with a big 11-5, 11-8 and 11-7 win over Asad Hashmi. Fellow senior Noah Kulick (Cambridge, MA/Beaver Country Day) won in three games, edging Vik Joshi of BC 11-9, 11-9 and 11-9 at No. 6. 

The final win of the season for the Brewers on the day came at No. 8, as Tim Boycott (Mbabane, Swaziland/Waterford Kahlamba) dropped his first set 12-10, but rallied to earn 11-3, 11-6 and 11-8 wins in the next three games. 

The Brewers finish the season 6-9.