ITHACA, N.Y. — Freshmen Alex Jung and Ben Francis won matches from the bottom of the order, but the 12th-ranked men's squash came up short in a 7-2 loss to No. 8 Columbia on Friday at Belkin International Squash Courts.
 
Competing from the No. 9 position, Francis won his fourth consecutive match and team-leading fifth match of the season when he defeated Richard Soper in three sets. Jung then kept the Big Red within striking distance after two rotations with another three-set victory at the No. 8 spot.
 
But Cornell (3-3, 1-2 Ivy League) came up empty in the rest of the matches, including a pair that went to five sets and another couple that went to four.
 
The Big Red returns to action Saturday, Jan. 23 at St. Lawrence.
 
#8 COLUMBIA 7, #12 CORNELL 2
1. Osama Khalifa (Clm) def. Harry Freeman, 11-5, 11-2, 8-11, 11-4
2. Rishi Tandon (Clm) def. Perry Hanson, 13-11, 11-6, 11-4
3. Seif Attia (Clm) def. Kevin Flannery, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4
4. Adham Madi (Clm) def. Gustav Runersjö, 4-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10
5. Carter Robitaille (Clm) def. Jordan Brail, 11-8, 11-2, 11-7
6. Arhum Saleem (Clm) def. Andy Muran, 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 6-11, 11-6
7. Joshua Sekhar (Clm) def. Graham Dietz, 7-11, 11-7, 17-15, 11-8
8. Alex Jung (Cor) def. Jonathan Gill, 11-1, 11-9, 11-7
9. Ben Francis (Cor) def. Richard Soper, 14-12, 11-7, 11-2
Ex. Salmaan Amin (Clm) def. Andrew Stone, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8