PRINCETON, N.J. – The second-ranked University of Pennsylvania men's squash team fell to third-ranked Princeton, 5-4, on Saturday afternoon, resulting in a shared Ivy Leage title between the Quakers and Tigers.

Penn was up 3-0 but could not hold on as Princeton battled back for the win.

The Quakers closed out the regular season 12-2, 5-1 in league play, were 10-0 at home and 2-2 on the road.

The first wave included Omar Hafez, Nick Spizzirri, Abdelrahman Dweek and Dana Santry. Penn got off to a hot start as all four winners played in the opening slate.

Santry secured the first win of the day as he swept in three games and 36 minutes at No. 7. After dropping the initial game, Spizzirri came back to win the next three at No. 3 to make the score 2-0.

Like Spizzirri, Dweek fell in the first game but had a strong showing in the next three, including an 11-4 win in game four to secure the win at No. 5.

Hafez, at No. 2, had the most exciting win of the match. Hafez picked up a win in the opening game, but fell in the next two, heading into a game four with the match on the line. Hafez dominated game four 11-3, and battled in game five, including being down 8-10, tying the game 10-10 and eventually winning 12-10.

Up next for the Quakers was Rehan Luthra, Nathan Kueh and Varun Chitturi. At No. 6, Chitturi lost for the first time this season, falling in three games and 31 minutes, making the match 4-1, still in favor of Penn.

Luthra dropped his match in 32 minutes at No. 8, allowing the Tigers to get within striking distance.

At No. 4, Kueh went game-for-game with his opponent, eventually dropping the match in game five, 10-12, in a match that lasted one hour and 22 minutes.

Shaam Gambhir and Salman Khalil closed out the day for the Quakers. Gambhir earned a win in game two, but was bested in four at No. 9, leaving the match tied at 4-4.

Khalil, and his opponent Karim Elbarbary played a thrilling five-game match, which included a massive viewing of spectators at a packed Jadwin Gymnasium. Khalil was down two games early but came back to win game three to keep within reach. An 11-9 win in game four decided the fate of the match would come down to the wire. The two went point-for-point in the final game, but Elbarbay would win in game five to secure the win for Princeton.

Results

1. Karim Elbarbary (Pr) def. Salman Khalil (Penn) 11-7, 11-3, 3-11, 9-11, 11-9
2. Omar Hafez (Penn) def. Hollis Robertson (Pr) 11-8, 12-14, 7-11, 11-3, 12-10
3. Nick Spizzirri (Penn) def. Thomas Rosini (Pr) 7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7
4. Ahmed Wael (Pr) def. Nathan Kueh (Penn) 11-7, 14-16, 11-8, 6-11, 12-10
5. Abdelrahman Dweek (Penn) def. Alastair Cho (Pr) 3-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-4
6. Avi Agarwal (Pr) def. Varun Chitturi (Penn) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9
7. Dana Santry (Penn) def. Hassan Khalil (Pr) 11-8, 12-10, 14-12
8. Zain Ahmed (Pr) def. Rehan Luthra (Penn) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7
9. Gordon Lam (Pr) def. Shaam Gambhir (Penn) 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-6 

Up Next
Penn will compete in the College Squash Association Team Championships, taking place from February 29 to March 3 at the Arlen Specter Squash Center on Drexel's campus in Philadelphia.