The No. 17-ranked Bobcats (3-3) got outstanding performances from defending national champion Ahmed Abdel Khalek, All-American Ahmed Hatata and junior Darrius Campbell as they won their matches in style, dropping only one set combined against their Middlebury opponents. 

Abdel Khalek (Cairo, Egypt) won his 48th match in a row, defeating Andrew Jung 3-0 (11-1, 11-6, 11-2) at the No. 1 spot. 

Hatata (Alexandria, Egypt) dropped the first set but bounced back to defeat David Cromwell 3-1 (4-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-7).

Meanwhile Campbell (St. Stephen, S.C.) battled Wyatt French in some close sets but ended up sweeping their match 3-0 (12-10, 13-11, 11-6).

The other victor for Bates was Carlos Ames '17 (Williamstown, Mass.) at the No. 9 spot. He defeated Middlebury's Cameron Dewey 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-5). 

The five matches Bates dropped were all very close. In fact, Middlebury only swept one of them. Senior captain Caran Arora pushed his opponent to five sets but ended up falling 3-2 (11-8, 8-11, 6-11, 11-7, 6-11). 

The Bobcats look to bounce back Saturday in the Maine Round Robin as they take on Williams at noon at the Bates Squash Center.

Middlebury 5, Bates 4
Jan. 8, 2016 at Lewiston, Maine

1. Ahmed Abdel Khalek (B) def. Andrew Jung (M) 11-1, 11-6, 11-2
2. Ahmed Hatata (B) def. David Cromwell (M) 4-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-7
3. Darrius Campbell (B) def. Wyatt French (M) 12-10, 13-11, 11-6
4. Andrew Cadienhead (M) def. Anirudh Nambiar (B) 11-9, 11-5, 11-6
5. Harrison Croll (M) def. Caran Arora  (B) 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6
6. Henry Pearson (M) def. Coley Cannon (B) 7-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-6
7. Benjamin Krant (M) def. McLeod Abbott (B) 6-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-1
8. William Kurth (M) def. Spencer Burt (B) 11-5, 10-12, 11-8, 11-9
9. Carlos Ames (B) def. Cameron Dewey (M) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5