ITHACA, N.Y. - It was a victorious season opener for the Vassar College women's tennis team, who finally kicked-off their 2021 campaign on Saturday at Ithaca College in Liberty League action. The Brewers grabbed a 7-2 win paced by a number of outstanding efforts to move Vassar to 1-0 on the season. The Bombers were also competing in their first match of the season, falling to 0-1 overall.

Action kicked off with doubles as senior Frances Cornwall and junior Nicole Pihlstrom notched an 8-4 win over Ithaca's Caroline Herz and Audry Johnson from the third flight. The Brewers gained a 2-0 advantage in the match as junior captain Melina Stavropoulos and sophomore Tatum Blalock posted an 8-4 victory against Zoe Davis and Sara Steinberg from one. Ithaca struck back, pulling to within 2-1 as Rebecca Andrews and Alexandra Dyszewski bested VC rookie Sofie Shen and junior Cara Kizilbash, 8-7 at two.

Singles action got going in the Brewers favor as Cornwall defeated Andrews at one by a 6-1, 6-0 margin. Shen then pushed VC to a 4-1 score from four as she earned a 6-1, 6-1 victory against Steinberg. Blalock secured the Vassar victory with the fifth point, besting Davis from the second flight by a 6-2, 6-3 margin.

At three, Stavropoulos earned the 6-4, 6-2 win against Dyszewski, while at five, Kizilbash was a 6-2, 6-3 winner over Herz. Ithaca bounced back in the final match as Rel Klein earned a hard-fought 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5) victory over Pihlstrom.

Vassar is back in action next weekend when they host Skidmore on Saturday at 2pm on Josselyn Courts.