NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The top-ranked Trinity College men's squash team unleashed a full flock on No. 4 Yale, blanking the Bulldogs, 9–0, Wednesday evening at the Barry Squash Courts. With the sweep, the Bantams soar to 11–0 on the season, while Yale slips to 5–3.

How It Happened

Trinity seniors Benedek Takacs (No. 3) and Dmytro Shcherbakov (No. 7), along with first-year Segundo Portabales (No. 6), clipped the Bulldogs' with a trio of 3–0 victories. Takacs had to dig in during the second game against Arav Bhagwati, squeezing out a 12–10 win before cruising from there. Shcherbakov survived a marathon opener, 15–13, then tightened the screws with commanding 11–7 and 11–1 decisions to shut the door.

At No. 2, 5, 8, and 9, Muhammad Ashab Irfan, Huzaifa Ibrahim, Eyad Awad, and Daniel Simon each secured 3–1 wins in hard-fought battles. Ibrahim and Awad shook off opening-game setbacks and stormed back to win three straight, flipping the momentum firmly in Trinity's favor. Simon and Irfan, meanwhile, saw their matches extend to a fourth game after dropping the third, but both Bantams responded with poised finishes to keep the sweep intact.

The top of the ladder delivered fireworks. Senior Joachim Chuah (No. 1) and Wa-Sern Low (No. 4) outlasted their opponents in a pair of five-game thrillers. Chuah rebounded after falling in the opener, claimed the next two to seize control, and—after a tight fourth-game stumble—returned with authority to capture the decider, 11–5.

Low came out flying with an 11–5 start, then regrouped after Yale clawed ahead in the second and third. Showing veteran composure, the Bantam evened the match in the fourth and powered through the fifth, completing the comeback and sealing Trinity's fourth point of the night.

Men's Results – Trinity 9, Yale 0

Joachim Chuah (TRIN) def. Tad Carney (YALE) 3–2 (9–11, 11–9, 11–8, 10–12, 11–5)
Muhammad Ashab Irfan (TRIN) def. Lachlan Sutton (YALE) 3–1 (15–13, 11–4, 9–11, 11–8)
Benedek Takacs (TRIN) def. Arav Bhagwati (YALE) 3–0 (11–8, 12–10, 11–2)
Wa-Sern Low (TRIN) def. Rohan Arya Gondi (YALE) 3–2 (11–5, 7–11, 4–11, 11–6, 11–6)
Huzaifa Ibrahim (TRIN) def. Rishi Srivastava (YALE) 3–1 (6–11, 11–5, 11–8, 11–4)
Segundo Portabales (TRIN) def. Rick Chen (YALE) 3–0 (11–3, 11–3, 11–5)
Dmytro Shcherbakov (TRIN) def. Oliver Velasco (YALE) 3–0 (15–13, 11–7, 11–1)
Eyad Awad (TRIN) def. Bennett Eun (YALE) 3–1 (11–13, 11–5, 11–9, 11–7)
Daniel Simon (TRIN) def. Jack O'Flynn (YALE) 3–1 (11–7, 11–6, 9–11, 11–6)

Next Up

Trinity returns to action at the NESCAC Championship this weekend, with quarterfinal play set for Saturday, February 14, followed by the semifinals and championship on Sunday, February 15 at Hamilton College.