ITHACA, N.Y. — The men's squash team came very close to a big upset Saturday, but Dartmouth won five of the final six matches to escape Belkin International Squash Courts with a 5-4 victory over the Big Red.
Cornell (3-7, 1-3), ranked 12th in the nation by the College Squash Association, swept the opening rotation to take a 3-0 lead on the fifth-ranked Big Green. Competing from the No. 9 position, freshman
Ben Francis won his team-best seventh match of the season with a three-set sweep. The other two matches to start the day went to five. Junior
Kevin Flannery never trailed at No. 6, winning 11-9 in the deciding set, and freshman
Perry Hanson completed his rally at No. 3 without yielding a single point in the finale.
But Dartmouth (7-2) responded by sweeping the middle rotation to tie the score at 3. Cornell inched back ahead and within one point of clinching the match when senior co-captain
Graham Dietz won in three sets at No. 7, but the Big Green won the final two matches of the day for the victory. Each of the last three meetings between the two programs have resulted in 5-4 victories for Dartmouth.
Cornell returns to action at 11 a.m. Sunday against seventh-ranked Harvard.
#5 DARTMOUTH 5, #12 CORNELL 41. Alvin Heumann (D) def.
Harry Freeman, 11-9, 3-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-8
2. Carson Spahr (D) def. Gustav Runersjö, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 5-11, 11-5
3.
Perry Hanson (C) def. Samuel Epley, 9-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-7, 11-0
4. Matthew Giegerich (D) def.
Andy Muran, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 15-13
5. Nicholas Harrington (D) def.
Jordan Brail, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8
6.
Kevin Flannery (C) def. Glen Brickman, 11-9, 12-14, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9
7.
Graham Dietz (C) def. James Fisch, 11-8, 11-5, 11-6
8. Brian Giegerich (D) def.
Liad Hare, 15-13, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8
9.
Ben Francis (C) def. Drew Field, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
Ex.
Augie Jones (C) def. Zachary Quayle, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-4
