PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's squash team will head into its first matches as the No. 1 team in the nation. The top-ranked Quakers host No. 4 Trinity (11:30 a.m.) and Colby (4 p.m.) on Saturday at the Kline and Specter Squash Center in the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
Previewing Penn
For the first time in program history, the men's squash team has topped the College Squash Association (CSA) rankings. Penn has eight wins on the season, half of which are against teams ranked inside the top-10.
Last weekend, the Quakers defeated No. 7 Yale on the road for the first time since 2007 and will look to keep that momentum going on Saturday against a tough Trinity squad and Colby.
The Red and Blue are 2-0 so far this season at the Kline and Specter Squash Center, sweeping both of those matches, 9-0.
The Quakers will look to their trio of freshman to continue what has been a hot start to the season. Freshman
Aly Abou Eleinen is undefeated while playing at the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, while
James Flynn and
Michael Mehl have been perfect to shore up the middle of the lineup.
Saturday's matches against Trinity begin a stretch in which Penn will play six matches in 14 days, five of which will be played in Philadelphia.
#1 Penn vs #4 Trinity – Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
Series Information
Record: Trinity Leads, 28-7 | Last meeting: January 20, 2018 (Trinity, 9-0)
Short-handed last season, the Quakers fell to Trinity, 9-0 on the road. Penn last defeated Trinity in 1996, a season in which it defeated the Bantams twice – once in the regular season and again in the Potter Cup.
Trinity began the season ranked number one, but after a loss to Rochester, was knocked down to No. 4. Penn defeated Rochester, 6-3, on the road on December 1.
#1 Penn vs Colby – Saturday, 4 p.m.
Series Information
Record: Penn leads, 4-0 | Last meeting: November 22, 2014 (Penn, 9-0)
The Quakers last played Colby back in 2014 in what was a 9-0 victory. Penn has swept two of the three regular season meetings. The two teams have also met once in the Hoehn Cup in 2000 which ended with a 6-3 Penn victory.
