CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Bowdoin College men's squash team collected a trio of thrilling one-point wins to claim the 2011 Summers Cup at the College Squash National Championship last weekend at Harvard University. The Polar Bears finish 17th in the nation with a record of 13-11, winning their first Summers Division title since 1994.

The Polar Bears opened with a 5-4 win over Colby, advanced to the finals with a 5-4 win against Amherst and closed out the "C" Division with a 5-4 victory over George Washington. The middle of the ladder was crucial during the trio of wins for Bowdoin as the #3 through #6 positions of William Fantini, Barrett Takesian, Andrew Hilboldt and Rahul Madan-Mohan went 10-2 overall.

Bowdoin posted their second win in as many weeks against Colby Friday evening, getting points from Stephan Danyluk (#2), Takesian (#4), Hilboldt (#5), Madan Mohan (#6) and Andrew Sprague (#8). The Polar Bears got a measure of revenge in the second round by bouncing Amherst, a team that dealt Bowdoin a 5-4 setback in the NESCAC Tournament, by taking a 5-4 win on Saturday. Andy Bernard, Danyluk, Fantini and Takesian won at the top four positions while Madan Mohan took a point at number six.

Against George Washington in the Summers Cup final, Bowdoin jumped out to an early lead, getting points from Fantini, Takesian, Hilboldt and Madan Mohan at positions three through six. A dramatic rally by William Winmill, who trailed 0-2 at number nine, sealed the one-point victory for the Polar Bears.

Summers Cup photo courtesy of Michael T. Bello