Trinity was not just undefeated heading into its match with Yale Wednesday night. It had not lost in 252 games — the longest winning streak in intercollegiate varsity history. It had won the past 13 consecutive national champions.

Yale, ranked No. 2 in the country to Trinity’s No. 1, had come close to the Bantams in recent years. The teams have met in the past two CSA Team National Championships, with the latest contest ending in a 5–4 decision for Trinity.

But history came crashing down around the Bantams at the Brady Squash Center Wednesday night when the Elis won the last two matches of the night to clinch a 5–4 victory.

The last man playing was John Roberts ’12, who fought through four close games before routing his opponent, 11–4 in the fifth game and sending the crowd into a frenzy with a 3–2 victory.

“I was so overjoyed for the team, especially for the seniors,” head coach David Talbott said.

Yale lost its first two matches of the night before Neil Martin ’14 narrowed Yale’s deficit to 2–1. Captain Ryan Dowd ’12 then rolled to a 3–1 against the Bantams’ Reinhold Hergeth, who had not yet lost all season.

Hywel Robinson ’14 also won his match in the No. 2 spot early on, but Trinity led 4–3 after seven matches thanks to a dominant effort by Vikram Malhotra, who crushed Yale’s No. 1 Kenny Chan 3–0.

In the last two games, however, Yale’s seniors took control. Robert Berner ’12 won at the No. 7 spot, leaving Roberts to hold off Trinity’s Johan Detter and clinch the historic win.

THE YALE DAILY NEWS