Philadelphia, PA - In an electric performance at the Specter Center, Colby upset Amherst 6-3 to secure a spot in the Hoehn Cup finals while simultaneously clinching the highest national ranking in program history.

A matchup that always promises a tight battle—with previous meetings decided by 5-4 and 6-3 margins—the Mules arrived hungry and ready. Seif Ashraf '27 set the tone early in a grueling 55-minute, five-game marathon. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, Ashraf dropped two frames before refocusing to deliver a commanding 11-3 victory in the fifth, tallying the first point for the Mules. Timo Radionov '28 followed with another marathon effort lasting over an hour. Like Ashraf, Radionov went up 2-0 before his opponent forced a decider. Showing immense resilience and overcoming several tough calls, Radionov captured a nail-biting 11-9 victory in the fifth.

The second round of matches capitalized on that early momentum. Omar Bastawy '29 opened with a clinical 12-10 first game and a decisive 11-3 second. Although he dropped the third game, Bastawy remained composed to deliver an 11-8 victory in the fourth, securing a crucial point. On the glass court, Carlos Zendejas '27 put on a show for the large crowd. In a match that spanned over an hour, Zendejas traded games in a back-and-forth struggle. He secured a critical 14-12 win in the third game before ultimately pulling away for an 11-6 win in the fifth.

The final points of the day came from Hamza Wessam '29 and Youssef Mostafa '26, both of whom displayed remarkable composure under pressure. Wessam commanded the court from the start, winning in straight games to mathematically clinch the team victory for Colby. Mostafa provided the "cherry on top" with a gritty five-game win, finishing his opponent off with a dominant 11-2 performance in the final set.

The Mules return to action for a highly anticipated rematch against MIT. They will compete for the Hoehn Cup title and the chance to solidify a #12 national ranking.