LEWISTON, Maine --
Ahmed Abdel Khalek won his 50th straight match in dramatic fashion on Sunday as he defeated St. Lawrence's Moustafa Bayoumy 3-2 (11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8) at the Bates Squash Center in the Maine Round Robin.
"We have been playing each other since age 10, so we know how we both play, whenever I play any shot he's on it and whenever he plays any shot, I'm on it," Abdel Khalek '16 (Cairo, Egypt) said. "I couldn't sleep last night. I am very relieved and happy. I am proud to play on this team and for Bates College."
Abdel Khalek, the 2015 national champion, was originally supposed to play against 2013 national champion Amr Khalifa of St. Lawrence. But Khalifa was scratched due to an injury. Nonetheless, it was a hard-fought match between Abdel Khalek and fellow Egyptian Bayoumy.
Two-time All-American Ahmed Hatata '17 (Alexandria, Egypt) also emerged victorious in a five-set match with Ahmed Bayoumy, the younger brother of Moustafa Bayoumy. Hatata won the first two sets before Bayoumy battled back, forcing a deciding fifth set, which Hatata was able to win 11-9.
Overall, #17 Bates (4-4) fell 7-2 to #3 St. Lawrence as the visitors showed off their depth with five sweeps.
The Bobcats play in the Pioneer Valley Invitational on Saturday as they take on Western Ontario and George Washington starting at 1:00 p.m.
St. Lawrence 7, Bates 2
Jan. 10, 2016 at Lewiston, Maine
1. Ahmed Abdel Khalek (B) def. Moustafa Bayoumy (SL) 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8
2. Ahmed Hatata (B) def. Ahmed Bayoumy (SL) 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-9
3. Lenard Puski (SL) def. Darrius Campbell (B) 14-12, 11-3, 11-4
4. Lockie Munro (SL) def. Anirudh Nambiar (B) 11-4, 11-9, 11-5
5. Hussien Elrayes (SL) def. Caran Arora (B) 11-9, 11-6, 11-7
6. George Willis (SL) def. Coley Cannon (B) 11-8, 11-5, 11-5
7. Tim Lasusa (SL) def. McLeod Abbott (B) 11-6, 11-4, 11-5
8. Ness Billimora (SL) def. Carlos Ames (B) 11-13, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9
9. Julian Jervis (SL) def. John Cannon (B) 11-7, 8-11, 11-1, 11-6
