PHILADELPHIA - After a successful 6-0 start and rise to number four in the College Squash Association (CSA) ranks, the University of Pennsylvania men's squash team will begin its Ivy League slate this weekend. The Quakers return to the court for the first time in more than a month as they head to New Haven for a top-10 clash with No. 7 Yale on Saturday before wrapping up their first Ivy road trip of the season at No. 15 Brown. 

Previewing Penn

The Red and Blue are back from their 10-day trip across the pond where they spent time in Ireland and The Netherlands and are ready to build on what was a red hot start before they left. Penn finished the first half of the season with three top-10 wins on their resume; that is tied with No. 1 Trinity for the most in the college squash top-10 this season. Penn's No. 4 ranking ranking is its highest since 2015 when they peaked at No. 2.

Headlined by wins over No. 4 St. Lawrence, No. 5 Rochester, and No. 9 George Washington, the Quakers are 6-0 for the first time since 2015 and will be looking to advance to 7-0 for the first time since 2007 which is also the last time they won at Yale and Brown in the same season. 

Penn has gotten great starts out of its freshman class of Aly Abou Eleinen, James Flynn, and Michael Mehl. All have all yet to lose a match this season and have been pushed to a deciding game just three times combined. Rounding out the Quakers' lineup, Yash Bhargava and Jonathan Zeitels also hold undefeated records. 

#4 Penn at #7 Yale - Saturday, 12:00 p.m. 
Series Information
Record: Penn trails 59-25 (31-10 at Yale) | Last meeting: January 13, 2018 (Penn 5-4)

The Quakers defeated the Bulldogs last season in dramatic, 5-4 fashion at Ringe. Penn surrendered a 4-1 lead before Karim Hussein won the final match of the day to clinch. It was the Red and Blue's first win at home against Yale since 1995. 

Yale has started the year 4-0 which included an 8-1 win over Drexel. The Bulldogs went a perfect 2-0 last week sweeping both Amherst and Tufts, as they gear up for their second Ivy League match of the year. 

In last year's meeting, four of the nine matches were extended past three games and two of those went all the way to five. With another close matchup looming, a win on Saturday will put either team in a good spot for the rest of the Ivy League season. 

#4 Penn at #15 Brown - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. 
Series Information
Record: Penn trails 32-1 (14-0 at Brown) | Last meeting: January 14, 2018 (Penn 9-0)

The Quakers have only ever lost one match to Brown and have won the last 20 in the series. Penn won 9-0 last season as they swept eight of the nine matches on the day. 

Brown is 1-2 on the season with its lone win coming against Bates. The Bears have lost to both Yale and George Washington.