WILLIAMSTOWN, MA (February 28, 2009) – In the consolation match of the Holleran Cup at the College Squash Association (CSA) Individual Championships, hosted by Williams College, junior Emilie Kraft (Seattle, WA/Seattle Academy) closed out her season with an extremely close five-game loss to Sam Smith of Colby College.

Men's squash senior Austin Minkowski (Baltimore, MD/Gilman School) also played on Saturday, in a Molloy Cup consolation match, dropping a 3-0 decision to Colgate's Rob McCary.

Kraft and Smith battled out a five-game match that could not have been much closer, with Smith narrowly escaping with a 9-5, 6-9, 9-6, 9-10, 9-7 victory.

“Emilie played the most strategic nail biter of the season today,” said head coach Jane Parker. “Both players jockeyed for the 'T' position, using a wide range of pace and height to upset the other player. The match could have gone either way.”

The match represented the third meeting between Kraft and Smith, with Smith proving the old adage that the third time is the charm. In their previous two matches, Kraft emerged victorious, with two four game victories (10-9, 9-5, 9-6, 9-3 on January 18 and 9-4, 10-9, 6-9, 9-5 on February 13). Kraft closes out an impressive junior season with a 16-6 record.