The men’s squash team ended an intense season with a third-place national finish behind Harvard and Trinity.

This past weekend, the Bulldogs (16–3, 6–1 Ivy) competed in the College Squash Association’s (CSA) National Championships at Harvard. The men played in the Potter Division of the CSA, which consists of the top eight teams. Yale advanced to the semifinals, but was bested 8–1 by Trinity.

“All in all it was a successful weekend,” said captain Eric Caine ’14. “We didn’t accomplish our ultimate goal of winning a national championship, but we surprised a lot of people with a strong third-place finish.”

Yale beat out Rochester 5–4 in the first round of play to advance to face Trinity in the second round. The Bulldogs had fallen to Trinity 5–4 earlier this season, and the Bantams were able to defeat Yale once again to make it to the final round.

Trinity went on to meet Harvard in the finals and lost, giving up the national title to the Crimson.

Kah Wah Cheong ’17 had Yale’s only win against Trinity at the fifth spot. Cheong lost his first game but won the next three to take the match.

“I was really focused and tried to play the best I could,” Cheong said. “I knew my opponent was a good player. It turned out I was really in the rhythm.”

After the loss to Trinity, the Eli men were matched with Franklin & Marshall College for the third-place title.

Yale won 7–2, with the only two losses coming at the first and eighth spots. Still, Franklin & Marshall fought hard, pushing four matches to five games.

“The win over Franklin & Marshall to end the weekend is a positive foundation to build on heading into next season,” Caine said.

Caine and Neil Martin ’14, who played at the first position for the Bulldogs, are the only two players the Bulldogs will lose to graduation.

Martin said the men’s team should be proud of what it has accomplished this season.

“I know that the guys returning for next year will come back ready and able to become Ivy and national champions,” Martin said.

The men will compete in the CSA Individual Championships at Penn at the end of the month. The women’s squash team will travel south to Princeton to play in the Howe Cup this weekend.