CAMBRIDGE, MASS. – The University of Pennsylvania men's squash team delivered a historic victory in the Potter Cup semifinals, defeating #2 Trinity 6-3 and advancing to the national championship for the first time in program history. The Quakers will meet #1 Harvard in the finale.
 
On a historic day that saw the Quakers beat the Bantams for the first since February 16, 1996, the Quakers came out of the gate with a fire inside them. James Flynn earned the first point for the Quakers after his opponent retired but was roaring back after a 0-1 deficit.
 
Several Quakers had to overcome five-game matches and embark on tremendous comebacks. Freshman Saksham Choudhary recovered from a 1-2 deficit to win 3-2 and 12-10 in the fifth, extending his unbeaten streak. David Yacobucci was forced to do the same and completed the 1-2 comeback with an 11-6 fifth game win to give the Quakers a 3-0 lead.
 
After Trinity got on the board, sophomore Aly Abou Eleinen outlasted a difficult opponent and won in four games to extend the Quakers lead to 4-1. While Trinity had an answer at No. 5, the final three matches came down to the wire, with Wil Hagen sealing the victory in five games and delivering one of the biggest victories in program history. For good measure, Dillon Huang tacked on the sixth point with a five-gamer of his own.
 
 
Results
1. Miko Aijanen (Trinity) d. Andrew Douglas (Penn) – 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10
2. Aly Abou Eleinen (Penn) d. Kush Kumar (Trinity) – 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5
3. James Flynn (Penn) d. Michael Craig (Trinity) – 8-11, 11-8, 5-2 (Ret.)
4. Dillon Huang (Penn) d. Thoboki Mohohlo (Trinity) – 11-6, 6-11, 14-16, 11-2, 11-7
5. Aly Eltokhy (Trinity) d. Yash Bhargava (Penn) – 13-11, 11-7, 11-8
6. David Yacobucci (Penn) d. Andrew Lee (Trinity) – 7-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6
7. Saksham Choudhary (Penn) d. Ziad Sakr (Trinity) – 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10
8. Wil Hagen (Penn) d. Aly Tolba (Trinity) – 11-3, 12-14, 4-11, 11-4, 11-7
9. Aryaman Adik (Trinity) d. Ryan Murray (Penn) – 11-9, 11-4, 11-3
 
The Quaker men will continue their run and play for a national championship, facing #1 Harvard in the Potter Cup final on Sunday, March 1 at 2:45 p.m. A win would deliver the first national championship in program history.