ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - A true rivalry isn't built on proximity or familiarity; it's built on competition.

Sure, Vassar College is a half-hour from Bard and both schools are members of the Liberty League. In men's squash, however, Vassar had beaten Bard 30 consecutive times dating back to 1988 before last weekend's stunner in Poughkeepsie, when the Raptors edged the Brewers, 5-4, to win the Hudson Valley Team Invitational and ruin Senior Day.

Vassar avenged that loss on Sunday afternoon, topping Bard, 6-3. The Brewers won three five-game matches to improve to 2-1 against Bard this winter, but there's a good chance they'll meet again at the College Squash Association Championships at Trinity College, Feb. 20-22.

Now that the matches are truly competitive, a rivalry in men's squash is bubbling to the surface, and it played out on Sunday in the form of high intensity and close matches. The end result came down to Vassar winning all three five-gamers, including two in which they rallied from behind to do it.

Winners for Bard were Matt Lampeter, Jack Smith and Ayateru Maeda at Nos. 2, 3 and 4, respectively. But five-game losses at Nos. 5, 7 and 9 did the Raptors in. 

Vassar is 3-9; Bard is 2-12. Up next for both squads are the CSA Team Championships.

Vassar 6, Bard 3

1. Vincent Mencotti (V) def. John Levering 11-9, 11-7, 11-5
2. Matt Lampeter (B) def. Timothy Veit 11-8, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8
3. Jack Smith (B) def. Juan Fernandez 11-4, 11-4, 11-7
4. Ayateru Maeda (B) def. Ryan Kurtzman 11-9, 11-7, 12-10
5. David Garfinkel (V) def. Asad Hashmi 11-6, 9-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-6
6. Ben Kurchin (V) def. Vikramaditya Joshi 11-8, 11-5, 11-3
7. Noah Kulick (V) def. Abe Etkini 13-11, 7-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-3
8. Tim Boycott (V) def. Francesca Cornali 11-8, 11-1, 11-5
9. Samuel Hammer (V) def. Satwik Srikrishnan 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-8