Tennis Team Wallops Brown: Frank Ripley Stays Undefeated

The Crimson tennis team warmed up for its big match Friday with Penn by demolishing a weak Brown team 9-0 on the Soldiers Field Courts yesterday.

All six singles players won in straight sets except for number two man Chum Steele; he dropped the first set to the Bruins' Bob Higgenbottom before winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. Steele's play seemed a bit lackadaisical at times, but he bore down to make up a 3-4 defecit in the third set.

Frank Ripley stayed unbeaten in intercollegiate play this season with a quick 6-1, 6-1 win over Brown captain Jim Schreiber in the number one match. Ripley hasn't lost a set since the season's second match, against Clemson, though he should have a more difficult time against Penn's John Reese on Friday.

Sophomore Dave Benjamin breezed to a 6-0, 6-2 win in the number three match over Bruin first-year man Bob Bruce. Clive Kileff, Bob Inman, and captain, Sandy Walker swept to straight-set wins in the last three singles matches.

Coach Jack Barnaby used substitute teams in the doubles matches, but came Friedman and junior Tom James topped out on top in all three. Sophomore Rich Higgenbottom and Schreiber 4-6, 6-3, 8-6 in the first doubles match.

Walker teamed with sophomore Tod Wilkinson to win the second doubles 6-2, 6-0, and Dan Kleinman and Chuck Underwood mopped up with a 6-1, 6-1 win at number three.

The Friday match with Penn should be one of the season's best, particularly from a spectator's point of view Ripley and Reese have never played before; both are big hitters with good records this season. Steele will tackle erratic Bailey Brown in the number two match, while Benjamin matches ground strokes with Richie Kolker at number three.

After playing Penn, the team flies to Ithaca Saturday to tackle a Cornell team that probably isn't as strong as the Quakers.