NEW YORK, N.Y. -- With its back up against the wall, the Yale men's squash team rallied for a crucial 5-4 victory over No. 7 Columbia on Saturday afternoon on the road. Sophomore Arav Bhagwati clinched the win for the Elis in a back-and-forth five-set triumph. The Bulldogs have now won two straight Ivy League matchups and their overall record stands at 5-1 with a 2-1 conference mark.

Yale fell behind 4-2 with three matches remaining. Columbia only needed to win one to seal the victory over the No. 5 Bulldogs. But the visitors showed tremendous fight and determination down the stretch. In the No. 5 position, Tad Carney pulled out a four-set decision to make the team score 4-3. Captain Brian Leonard also competed simultaneously and did his job by securing a victory in the No. 9 slot. 

With the overall score tied at 4-4, the fate of the match came down to Bhagwati against Columbia's Harold Castiaux in the No. 2 position. Bhagwati and Castiaux traded sets through the first four, setting up the deciding final frame. After more than an hour of match time, Bhagwati triumphed 11-8 in the fifth to give the Bulldogs the thrilling come-from-behind victory.

Siow Yee Xian earned a straight-set win in the No. 1 slot and he remains undefeated so far this season. Nikhil Ismael also won his matchup in the No. 7 position. 

Match Results

• Siow Yee Xian (YALE) def. Franklyn Smith (COL) 11-9, 11-4, 13-11
• Arav Bhagwati (YALE) def. Harold Castiaux (COL) 7-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-4, 11-8
• Shaurya Bawa (COL) def. Maxwell Orr (YALE) 11-7, 12-10, 8-11, 9-11, 13-11
• Laszlo Godde (COL) def. Max Forster (YALE) 6-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
• Tad Carney (YALE) def. Jacob Bulbulia (COL) 11-8, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7
• Zach Nam (COL) def. Lachlan Sutton (YALE) 11-5, 11-9, 11-3
• Nikhil Ismail (YALE) def. Paarth Ambani (COL) 11-7, 11-8, 12-10
• Rutvik Rau (COL) def. Merritt Wurts (YALE) 11-7, 5-11, 17-15, 11-9
• Brian Leonard (YALE) def. Adam Goad (COL) 12-10, 11-5, 4-11, 11-6

Up Next 
The Bulldogs will face off with Cornell on Sunday to wrap up the weekend road series.