NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The 31st-ranked Haverford College men's squash team (2-5) made a return to the court after a winter hiatus since December 2, engaging in a closely contested match against No. 30 Connecticut College (6-8) Saturday at the Brady Squash Center on the campus of Yale University.
The encounter marked the second time these teams have clashed at a neutral site this season. The outcome mirrored their earlier meeting in December at Vassar, with the Camels once again securing a narrow 5-4 victory.
The action kicked off with impressive performances from first-years Francis Betkowski and Arvin Krishnan each securing crucial wins for the Fords at the seventh and ninth flights, respectively. Betkowski dominated Josiah Rondon, allowing only 10 points in his straight-game triumph (11-3, 11-2, 11-5), while Krishnan outlasted Peter Russell in four games, clinching a hard-fought 15-13 decision in a battle-tested fourth game (11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 15-13).
With Krishnan's win balancing early losses from Aaryaman Jaising and Ben Schiltz, the score stood at 2-2 through four completed matches. Jaising claimed the first game against Samuel Lovejoy at the second flight, while Schiltz avoided a sweep with a third-game victory over Noah Fish at the fifth flight.
The bottom half of the ladder proved fruitful for the Fords, as Qianzhi Zhao triumphed over Alex Lorenzo-Cruz in a four-game thriller at the sixth flight (12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-7), and Daniel Braun swiftly defeated Timothy First at the eighth flight (11-5, 11-4, 11-5).
Despite tough losses from Noah Tunis at the top flight and Kai Schinaman at the third flight, the stage was set for a decisive match at the fourth flight between Ryan Mach and Peter Lehv. This matchup, characteristic of recent encounters between the two sides, unfolded with intense drama.
Lehv initially fell behind but rallied with a second-game win. Mach responded with a third-game victory, and Lehv secured the fourth. The match reached a climax as the two traded points until Mach narrowly edged out Lehv, winning 11-6 and securing Connecticut's narrow victory.
The Fords will look to carry the momentum from this hard-fought match into a Sunday matinee. Men's Squash is set to face No. 29 Wesleyan in Middletown, Conn. The contest with the Cardinals is scheduled for an 11 a.m. first serve.