The Middlebury men's squash team upended No. 18 Bates on Sunday at home by an 8-1 score in the Bostwick Family Squash Center. The 20th-ranked Panthers look to build on their five-match winning streak Thursday when they entertain Hamilton at 5:30 p.m.

During the triumph over the Bobcats (3-5), the Panthers claimed the first seven matches to conclude, including four in three games. John Epley edged Garon Rothenberg at No. 6 (11-6, 12-10, 12-10), while Alex Merrill made it 2-0 via a four-game victory over Dylan Muldoon (5-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-5) at the bottom of the ladder.

Jack Kagan increased the Panther edge to 3-0 with a four-game win at No. 3 over Omar Attia (11-7, 7-11, 11-5, 11-9), while Teddy Best eased past Jesper Phillips in the middle of the lineup (11-4, 11-0, 11-8). Jacob Ellen tallied the match-clinching fifth point, defeating Mahmoud Yousry at No. 2 in three games (11-4, 12-10, 11-6).

Thomas Wolpow outlasted Benni McComish at No. 8 in five games (11-3, 4-11, 11-7, 2-11, 15-13), while Justin Ghaeli moved the Panthers ahead by a 7-0 score with a three-game win atop the lineup over Graham Bonnell (11-8, 11-7, 12-10).

The Bobcats tallied their lone point of the match with a five-game victory at No. 4.

Nate Moll rounded out the competition, defeating McLeod Abbott in the seventh spot in three games (12-10, 11-6, 11-4) for the final 8-1 score.