Last weekend, the men’s squash team came in a close second against a heavily favored No. 3 Harvard squad at the Brady Squash Center.

The Bulldogs fought past two opponents, Dartmouth and Princeton, to face the Crimson in a preseason scrimmage hosted by Yale. Team members said the event aimed to help them get a feel for where they stand relative to the other Ivies.

“The team played really well this weekend, and we are happy with such a positive start to the season,” Richard Dodd ’13 said. “Harvard was expected to roll over most teams this season, and it was great that we clearly demonstrated that we have the ability to beat them.”

In the first day of play, the Elis took on Dartmouth, which ended its 2011-’12 season with a No. 5 national ranking, just below Yale’s No. 4. Yale came out victorious with an easy 6–3 win.

Later in the afternoon, Yale went on to defeat the Princeton Tigers in a close 5–4 battle. Dodd had one of the more memorable matches, taking out last year’s All-American Honorable Mention Samuel Kang in five sets.

“We’ve been working extremely hard the past few months, and while there’s still a lot of work to do. The training this fall paid off in a lot of the matches this past weekend,” Eric Caine ’14 said. “The freshmen stepped up as well and proved that they will be an integral part of the team this year.”

Against Harvard on Sunday, the Bulldogs had a tougher run, losing 5–4. Only three of the nine matches were won decisively in three sets. Rookies Sam Fenwick ’16 and Zachary Leman ’16 both held their own in their first collegiate tournament.

Caine showed up to play this weekend, with two consecutive wins against top players helping solidify his status as a Division One squash player. He defeated Harvard’s Julian Kirby 3-2.

“Eric Caine was outstanding,” team captain Hywel Robinson ’13 said. “To pick up the win over Kirby of Harvard, who was a top national recruit, as a walk-on was one of the best wins I have ever seen.”

Robinson has been added to the lineup this year at the No. 2 position after being out for a lengthy amount of time last season due to an injury. He says that the team is looking to increase its fitness levels and improve its racket skills.

The Elis will resume competitive play Nov. 30 against Franklin and Marshall.