Leverett Grabs Lead in Volleyball As Withrop's Straus Hopes Dim

Leverett House has jumped to an early lead in the revamped intramural volleyball competition, followed closely by a strong Lowell House team.

Converted to a major intramural sport this winter, volleyball now offers 100 points toward the Straus Cup to a team capturing first place in the A competition and 50 points for first place in the B league.

Fielding an experienced team, the Bunnies are undefeated in both leagues; however, their victories have been scored over the weaker members of the slate, including disappointing Winthrop teams. Leverett has yet to meet the other major contenders, Eliot and Lowell.

Lowell, powered by the swift serves of Eric Gustavson and Lonnie Kaplan, has complied a 4-0 mark in A competition and is 3-1 in B play. Lowell split with Eliot and reached the high point of its season last week, when both A and B squads beat a Dudley House A team.

Eliot House, a strong outside contender, has lost only to Lowell in A competition and is unbeaten in the B league.

A tight race for cellar honors is shipping up between Dudley and Dunster. The Funsters have forfeited twice, while Dundley's punchless A squad, crippled by lack of depth, has deserved most of its defeats.

Withrop House, seeking to maintain its Straus momentum, has been disappointing so far. "I guess you could say that this is a building year for us in volleyball," said House Athletic Secretary Joe Mullin. "We were hoping to get a boost in our drive for the Straus, but I guess we just don't have the experience or the depth. We're just holding bated breath and waiting for the spring."