NORTHAMPTON, Mass. - Smith sophomore Badriyyah AlSabah (Kuwait, Kuwait/Al Bayan Bilingual School) outlasted Colby-Sawyer first-year Marissa Ulmer (Windham, Maine) in straight sets to earn her first collegiate victory and give the host Pioneers a dramatic 5-4 win in a non-conference tennis match Friday evening.

The Pioneers battled back from down 2-1 after doubles play, as the Mules #1 doubles tandem of first-years Ashley Woodside (Hampden, Maine) and Sam White (Stockbridge, Mass.) scored an 8-4 win, and senior Ellen Graham and first-year Christine Hill battled to a 9-8 (7-2) victory over sophomore Kelli Cheung (Plainfield, N.J./Union County Acad.) and senior Ruth Yi (Tacoma, Wash./Todd Beamer) at No.2 doubles.

Smith cut the deficit in half (2-1) as senior Seema Samawi (New York City, N.Y./King's Academy) and her partner tallied an impressive 8-3 win at No.3 doubles.

Woodside again put the Mules ahead by two (3-1) with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No.1 singles over Cheung, but first-year Samantha Peikes (West Hartford, Conn./Watkinson School) earned her fifth win of the season at No.2 singles and Margaret Anne Smith (Spring Lake, N.J./High Technology) followed with her tenth win of the season at No.3 singles to knot the score, 3-3.

Colby-Sawyer again answered, as first-year Lauren Blanchard (Agawam, Mass.) gave the Mules a 4-3 lead in the match after Samawi had to exit the match with the score tied, 2-2 in the first set, due to injury.

The Mules lead was short-lived, however, as Yi tied the contest at 4-4 with a 6-3, 6-3 win over senior Ellen Graham (Newburyport, Mass.). AlSabah followed with a convincing 6-0, 6-1 win at No.6 singles to secure the win for the Pioneers.

Smith improves to 5-9 on the season with the win, while Colby-Sawyer drops to 10-9.

Colby-Sawyer travels to Mount Holyoke College in non-conference action tomorrow starting at 10:30 a.m. The Pioneers next host the 2015 Seven Sisters Tennis Championship on Saturday, April 11.