Mermen Beat Dartmouth, Setting Two New Records

In the most thrilling upset since last fall's Harvard-Yale football game, the varsity tankmen put forth an outstanding team performance to down Eastern powerhouse Dartmouth, 64-49, yesterday in the IAB, breaking two records in the process.

The determining event was the threemeter dive, which featured a battle between the two best divers in the league--Mike Brown of Dartmouth and Harvard's Bill Murphy. Brown beat Murphy last year and, earlier yesterday, had edged him in the one-meter competition.

Harvard's ace held a slight lead throughout the five-dive competition, but it was his superb last dive that gave him the points he needed to win. "After I finished my fifth, I knew I had won because Brown needed all nines on his last one to beat men," Murphy said.

Murphy's success did not obscure a flock of other outstanding performances. Mike Cahalan and Dave Powlison were both double winners, while Powlison and Steve Krause established new records. Senior John Bragg was also a vital factor in the upset due to his two important second place finishes. Two other Harvard winners were Johnnie Munk and Toby Gerhart.

As expected, Dartmouth easily won the opening relay to lead, 7-0. Powlison immediately set a record by swimming the 1000-free in 10:46.0, a new pool mark, while trouncing highly-touted Clint Harris. Gerhart moved his team a little closer to Dartmouth with an exciting win in the 200-free.

In the next event, the 50-free, Cahalan and Bragg sped to a sweep, ahead of the Indians' excellent sprinters. This finish brought the crowd to its feet and put Harvard in front, 18-16.

Krause, who swam in three races during the afternoon, came from behind in the individual medley to nip Dartmouth's Al Rheem and set a new Harvard record of 2:01.1. Harvard then led, 23-20, but Brown's triumph in the one-meter dive tied the score, 26-26.

Another Crimson sweep put Harvard ahead to stay. As he had done most of the season, Munk netted a first in the butterfly, followed closely by Krause. This was the first race that Krause had lost all year, but it was hardly disappointing.

In the 100-free, Cahalan splashed to his second win of the meet, and the Crimson advantage bulged to 40-30.

Crucial Blow

The 500-free featured the third Harvard sweep of the day and dealt a crucial blow to the Big Green's hopes. Dartmouth captain and All-American Terry Robinson was matched against Powlison and Krause. Powlison took an early lead, followed by Robinson and then Krause. At the 300-yard point, Krause passed Robinson. Robinson never rallied, and Harvard's two ace sophomores scored a decisive victory, with Powlison first.

A Dartmouth sweep by a narrow margin over Steve Baumgart in the breast stroke made it close again, but Murphy's thrilling win ended all Indian aspirations.