HARTFORD, Conn.— The 2018 College Men's National Team Championships started well for the Bulldogs. No. 9 ranked Yale took the first step towards coming home with the Hoehn Cup on Friday with a 7-2 win against No. 16 Navy.

Yale's lineup was strong from top to bottom. Of the seven matches the Bulldogs won, six were decided in just three games.

The highlight of Friday's competition came from Senior captain Thomas Kingshott, who played at the No. 6 position. Kingshott started strong with two dominant games, scoring 13-11 and 11-7, but was dropped by his opponent over games three and four. Kingshott was able to deliver the final blow and close out the match in game five, much to the excitement of the crowd.

Yale will advance to the semifinals, where the team will face off against Ivy League competitor Brown. The winner of the match will earn a place in the finals, where two teams will fight for the Hoehn Cup title.

The Bulldogs have not seen Brown since early December, when they won with a definitive score of 8-1.

Yale's semifinal will begin on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Results and live streaming can be found here.