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Northampton, MA — The ninth annual Seven Sisters squash tournament was held this weekend at Smith College. Since its inception in the 1999-2000 College Squash season, Vassar has won the tournament four times, Wellesley three times, Mount Holyoke twice, and Smith once.
The Seven Sisters is a consortium of women’s liberal arts colleges that was founded in 1915. Originally, the Seven Sisters included Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Smith, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, Barnard, and Radcliffe. The consortium served as the female equivalent of the once all-male Ivy League. Today, Radcliffe is part of Harvard and Barnard is included in the Columbia educational system. Vassar became coeducational in 1969.
According to Lynn Oberbillig, Smith’s Director of Athletics, “Seven Sisters competition epitomizes a special blending of pride, inegrity, teamwork, and a sharing in the rich women’s tradition in sport.” Besides squash, other sports with Seven Sisters championships include basketball, crew, cross country, field hockey, swimming and diving, tennis, and volleyball.
The Seven Sisters schools have a strong squash tradition. In order to promote the sport and women’s educational institutions, this season Smith College founded the Women’s Collegiate Team Championships (photos). In November, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Wellesley participated in the event. Mount Holyoke emerged with the inaugural title.
This year, there were four teams participating in the Seven Sisters tournament: Mount Holyoke (#12), Wellesley (#20), Vassar (#27) and Smith (#31). In the opening match, Mount Holyoke easily defeated Smith 9-0. The Mount Holyoke Lyons won each match by a score of 3-0.
Wellesley and Vassar faced off in the other semi-final. Like the Lyons, the Vassar Brewers won 9-0. Longmeadow’s Anna Licht defeated Natalie Chen in five games.
In the third place match, Wellesley played Smith. Although Wellesley was the stronger team and captured the match 8-1, the number ones, Smith’s Kate Whitesell and Wellesley’s Sarah Odell, played a dramatic five-game match. Whitesell won the match with a 9-5 victory in the final game. Williston Northampton alumna and Wellesley’s number two player Ayako Kubodera defeated Sara Smyth in three games.
Despite having several sick players, Mount Holyoke won the chapionship with a 7-2 victory over Vassar. Mount Holyoke captured the top seven matches by 3-0 scores. All of the winners in the Mount Holyoke/Vassar match received All-Tournament team honors.
For more photos click HERE
Submitted by Michael T. Bello - Western Mass Squash
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