LANCASTER, Pa. - Silvio Soom battled back from a 2-0 deficit in the deciding match, clinching a 5-4 thriller for Franklin & Marshall's No. 17 men's squash team over No. 18 Middlebury on Sunday in Mayser.

The Diplomats improved to 10-4 on the year while the Panthers fell to 10-4. 

By the Numbers

Trailing by a 4-3 team score, the Diplomats fought back to even the match when Yannis Senkel earned a clutch 3-1 victory at No. 5. Senkel was behind late in the fourth game but fought back for the 12-10 win, keeping hope alive for F&M. 

The match came down to Soom at No. 3, who fell behind 2-0 with losses of 11-6 and 13-11. He fought back with three straight wins, capping off the match with an 11-5 victory in the fifth. 

Each of the top three spots in the order went F&M's way, while the Panthers secured victories at both No. 8 and No. 9.

The Results

1. Shams Abbas (FMCM) def. Justin Ghaeli (MIDDM) 11-5, 12-10, 11-9
2. Sanjay Jeeva (FMCM) def. Jacob Ellen (MIDDM) 11-8, 11-7, 11-4
3. Silvio Soom (FMCM) def. William Cembalest (MIDDM) 6-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-4, 11-5
4. Jack Kagan (MIDDM) def. Aryan Parekh (FMCM) 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5
5. Yannis Senkel (FMCM) def. Nick Bermingham (MIDDM) 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10
6. Teddy Best (MIDDM) def. Boden Polikoff (FMCM) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6
7. Matthew Dukarm (FMCM) def. Wiatt Hinton (MIDDM) 11-7, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-3
8. John Epley (MIDDM) def. Allen Tompkins (FMCM) 5-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3
9. Alex Merrill (MIDDM) def. Samm Fulton (FMCM) 11-5, 5-11, 11-2, 10-12, 11-2
Exh. Thomas Wolpow (MIDDM) def. Christopher Taylor (FMCM) 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 

Win Streaks

Sanjay Jeeva - 6
Yannis Senkel - 6 

Up Next 

Action picks back up on Saturday when the Diplomats travel to Charlottesville, Va. for the Mid-Atlantic Championships. Competition begins against MIT at 6:00 p.m.