A dynasty has fallen from the top. At least temporarily, that is.

After an almost-perfect season, the Harvard men's squash team (12-2, 6-0 Ivy) lost the national championship for the first time in six years, falling 8-1 to Trinity on Feb. 28 in the Howe Cup final.

The team also lost its Coach Bill Doyle when he resigned in March.

Though only two losses marred the season, and though both of them came at the hands of the undefeated national champion Bantams, Harvard will have some rebuilding work to do next year.

In the National Intercollegiate Squash Rackets Association (NISRA) Team Championships held at Harvard's Murr Center, the Crimson dropped an 8-1 match to Trinity to end its streak of titles.

At the No. 1 spot, sophomore Deepak Abraham, who was playing with an injury, grabbed the first game from Marcus Cowie. But Abraham dropped the next three to lose 3-1 to the two-time defending national champion.

Harvard's sole win was at No. 2, a decisive 3-0 rout by junior co-captain Tim Wyant over Trinity's Akhil Bell.

"We were disappointed, but Trinity has one of the best teams ever assembled in men's intercollegiate squash," said freshman Peter Karlen. "We feel our season was very successful."

The Crimson had lost to the Bantams by the same 8-1 margin on Feb. 6, with Karlen recording Harvard's only point.

"In the two matches we lost, we lost somewhat decisively, but we put up a really good fight," Wyant said.

Being runner-up became the year's common theme after Wyant finished strong to reach the finals of the NISRA Individual Squash Championship on the weekend of March 5.

Wyant, the No. 9 seed in the tournament, defeated Cowie, the No. 1 seed, in a hard-fought quarterfinal match, 15-9, 15-7, 6-15 and 15-7.

In the semifinals, he faced No. 4 Bell and cruised to a 3-0 victory.

In the finals, Wyant drew No. 2 Peter Yik of Princeton, and his magical run ended there as he lost to Yik in three games.

"I was playing better at that time during the year than at any other time," Wyant said. "I didn't think I was really at the level of some of those top guys. I happened to have a good weekend and things sort of fell into place for me."