PRINCETON, N.J. - After failing to convert match balls in the fourth game and losing, Aly Abou Eleinen headed to a fifth game that would ultimately decide the match for the No. 3 University of Pennsylvania men's squash team. Playing in a fifth game in an Ivy League match on the road may rattle some freshman, but Abou Eleinen seemed unphased as he refocused and won the decider 11-6 to put the Quakers up 5-3 and clinch the match against the Tigers. 

How it Happened

Last season it was the Red and Blue who fell to Princeton at home, 5-4, but this season it was the Quakers who earned the close win on the road. After a 6-3 loss to Trinity over the weekend in Philadelphia, Penn reset its focus to the Tigers and the rest of the Ivy League schedule. The Quakers won its previous two Ivy matches which included their first win at Yale since 2007 and a win at Brown. But a third straight road win, this time at Princeton, would certainly prove to be a challenge. 

Penn got on the board first as David Yacobucci won in three games at No. 3 to put the Quakers up 1-0. It would be the only win for the Red and Blue in the first shift. Andrew Douglas, Karim Hussein, and Yash Bhargava all lost in five games as Penn entered the second shift down 3-1. 

A 3-1 deficit is difficult to come back from anywhere, especially on the road. Penn would need to win four of the final five matches of the day to come out with a victory. 

Taking it one match at a time and one point at a time, the Quakers climbed back. 

James Flynn bounced back after a tough loss to Trinity to win in four games at No. 4. Flynn toughed out a 12-10 victory in the second game to take a 2-0 lead. After losing the third, the freshman answered with a dominant fourth game, winning 11-2 to take the match 3-1 and pull Penn within one. 

Jonathan Zeitels was solid at No. 9, earning a 3-0 win. With Zeitels', 11-7, victory in the third, the co-captain tied the score for the Quakers at 3-3 with three matches remaining. Penn then took a 4-3 lead as Wil Hagen won, 3-0. 

Up 4-3 with two matches remaining, Penn seemed in control and on its way to victory. Abou Eleinen led 8-3 in the fourth while Michael Mehl had a 2-1 lead on his court. That quickly vanished as Abou Eleinen saw match balls come and go as he fell 13-11 and Mehl also headed to a fifth game after losing the fourth, 11-6. 

When he could have been rattled, Abou Eleinen put the fourth game behind him and came out strong in the decider to go up 8-1. Once again with a big lead, this time he was able to close it out. Up 10-6, the freshman hit a drop that was too good and as the ball hit the court a second time, Abou Eleinen won 3-2 to put the Quakers up 5-3, clinching the match.

Mehl came up just short in his match, but with Abou Eleinen's win at No. 2, the Red and Blue earned their third straight Ivy road win to begin conference play. 

What's Next

The Quakers will play their first Ivy matches at home this weekend when they host No. 5 Dartmouth on Saturday before a clash with No. 1 Harvard on Sunday. 

Results

1.Adhitya Raghavan (PRIN) d. Andrew Douglas (PENN) - 12-10, 6-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-7
2. Aly Abou Eleinen (PENN) d. Clark Doyle (PRIN) - 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-13, 11-6
3. David Yacobucci (PENN) d. Daelum Mawji (PRIN) - 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
4. James Flynn (PENN) d. Alexander Engstrom (PRIN) - 11-6, 12-10, 9-11, 11-2
5. Cody Cortes (PRIN) d. Michael Mehl (PENN) - 7-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 11-3
6. Gabriel Morgan (PRIN) d. Karim Hussein (PENN) - 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8
7. Hao-Chen Cheng (PRIN) d. Yash Bhargava (PENN) - 11-1, 4-11, 12-14, 11-9, 3-1 ret. 
8. Wil Hagen (PENN) d. Duncan Joyce (PRIN) - 14-12, 11-3, 11-8
9. Jonathan Zeitels (PENN) d. Henry Parkhurst (PRIN) - 11-4, 11-6, 11-7
10 (EXH). Ryan Murray (PENN) d. Adham Elsherbiny (PRIN) - 11-6, 11-7, 11-13, 11-3