Athletics News and Press Releases

February 5, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact: Carole Grills
(413) 585-2703

       Squash Team Takes Third at Vassar Team Challenge

Northampton, MA: The Pioneers took third place at the Vassar Team Challenge this past weekend in Poughkeepsie, NY. The home team won the event with a 3-0 record, George Washington was second at 2-1 while Smith and Columbia had identical 0-2-1 records. Smith took third because they notched two wins against GW while Columbia fell 0-9.

     In Smith's opening match on Saturday against Columbia, Smith's top three players, Beatrice Beacher (Bern, Switzerland), Kate Whitesell (Easton, MD), and Talia Williams (Montpelier, VT) easily defeated their opponents in three matches. Jessica MacLeod (Huntington, NY) at number four, upset her opponent in a 5-game match and picked up her first win of the year.

     The Pioneers dropped their second match of the day to George Washington University. Williams and MacLeod picked up the wins in the 2-7 loss. On Sunday, Smith faced the host school and fell to them 9-0. Williams almost got past Amalia Sax-Bolder with great digging and defense combined with smart shot-making but fell just short. The Pioneers travel to Wesleyan on Tuesday evening for a 7 p.m. contest.

Smith vs. Columbia
1. Beatrice Bircher (SC) def. Olivia Tandon, 9-3,9-4,9-3
2. Kate Whitesell (SC) def. Liz Radin, 9-6,9-5, 9-0
3. Talia Williams (SC) def. Zahrah Taufique, 9-6, 9-0, 9-2
4. Jessica MacLeod (SC) def. Sara hersman, 8-10,9-2,9-1,1-9,9-4
5.   Sara Smyth (SC) lost to Monic Gorman, 2-9,5-9,9-5,10-8, 8-10
6.   Alice Reznickova (SC) lost to Masha Ooyevar, 2-9,3-9,2-9
7.   Katrina Duggan (SC) lost to Mariza Harper, 3-9,5-9,2-9
8.   Mercedes Pepper (SC) lost to Yazzy Koukaz, 4-9,0-9,5-9

Smith vs. George Washington
1. Bircher (SC) lost to Racael Rayfield, 9-6,4-9,2-9,9-1,4-9
2. Whitesell (SC) lost to Kate Bullard, 4-9,1-9,5-9
3. Williams (SC) def. Chelsea Mouta, 9-5,3-9,9-3,9-4
4. MacLeod (SC) def. Bettina Scott, 2-9,4-9,1-9
5. Smyth (SC) lost to Christina Lazar, 2-9,6-9,6-9
6. Reznickova (SC) lost to Elaine Purcell, 2-9,2-9,7-9
7. Duggan (SC) lost to Maggie Alexander, 2-9,0-9,1-9
8. Pepper (SC) lost to Sybil Bunn, 0-9.3-9,2-9
9. Kara Popwich (GW) won by default

Smith vs. Vassar
1. Bircher (SC) lost to Emilie Kraft, 3-9,0-9,3-9
2. Whitesell (SO) lost to Nadia jihad, 4-9,2-9,3-9
3. Williams (SC) lost to Amalia Sax-Bolder, 10-8,4-9,9-6,4-9,6-9
4. MacLeod (SC) lost to Teddy Weiss, 0-9,0-9, 0-9
5. Smyth (SC) lost to Blair Komar, 0-9,3-9,2-9
6. Reznickova (SC) lost to Anna Licht, 1-9,0-9,2-9
7. DUggan (SC) lost to Lilia totevska, 3-9,2-9,1-9
8. Pepper (SC) lost to Caitlin Ly, 1-9,0-9,0-9
9. Vassar won by default

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