November 22, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laura Williamson
(413) 585-2703
Smith Finishes 2nd in Team Overall Points at Women's College Squash Championships
Northampton, MA: The only place women could play varsity squash at a top U.S. college or university prior to the 1970's was at a women's only college. The U.S. Women's College Squash Championship was initiated in 2007 in order to publicize and acknowledge the importance of the role of women's colleges in U.S. College Squash. Both U.S. Squash and the College Squash Association are seeking to increase the number of women's teams participating in college squash, and the U.S. Women's College Squash Championship has received the support of the Women's College Coalition.
The Mount Holyoke Squash team took its second consecutive Women's College Tournament Team Championship with 47 total points to edge Smith College trailing with 42 points in second place, and Wellesley College finishing with 36 total team points. Official scores were determined by calculating each team's average point score: Mount Holyoke College--4.82; Wellesley College--4.5; and Smith College--3.23.
The tournament was formatted as an individual flight tournament. Four brackets were drawn based ratings players received from their coaches according to the U.S. Squash Player Rating System. Each bracket consisted of eight players who fought to take first-place in their respective brackets. The 2008 Women's College Championship also marks the first time the World Squash Federation's point system--games to 11, best out of five, must win by two points--was ever used in a college squash match in the U.S.
Smith College players Margaret Oliverio '11 (Boston, MA) and Sarah Lentz GR (Weyhe, Germany) both earned the honor to play in the final matches. In the "B" flight Kasia Kolodziejczak '10 (Storrs, CT) of Mount Holyoke College beat Oliverio 3-1 (12-14, 11-4, 11-8, 11-4). Lentz also fell in the final match of the "D" flight, 3-0 (11-4, 11-2, 11-9), to Wellesley College's Kirsten Levandowski '10 (Bethesda, MD).
In a Smith College head-to-head battle Mercedes Pepper '09 (Mendocino, CA) and Andrea Shang '10 (Hong Kong) went five games to determine the 3rd and 4th place finishers in the "C" flight. Pepper took the first game 11-8, but Shang fought back to take the next two games 15-17 and 7-11. However, Pepper was able to recollect and edge her teammate 11-9 in game four and take game five 11-4 for the win.
In flight "A" Shanita Williams '10 (Boston, MA) won two close matches to five games in order to face Shara Robertson '12 (Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa) of Mount Holyoke in the third and forth place match. Robertson entered the match composed and beat Williams in three games (11-2, 11-9, 11-6).
The long day of squash culminated in Jeanne Blasberg, U.S. Squash President, addressing all three teams via videoconference. Given Blasberg's tremendous playing resume, and status as a Smith College alumna, it was a treat to hear her speak of her mission to support the growth of women's squash in the U.S.
Erin Robson made her debut as the interim head coach of the Smith College Squash team this afternoon. To her credit the team's performance was outstanding as the Pioneers earned their first victories of the season.
