Underdog Netmen Challenge Columbia and Princeton

The tennis team flew down to New York last night to start a weekend tour that will make or break their Ivy League championship hopes. Wednesday's victory over Penn established the Crimson as a contender, but they are still solid underdogs in today's match at Columbia and Saturday's match at Princeton.

"You have to give the advantage to Columbia and Princeton, especially on their home courts," coach Jack Barnaby said, "But we have a team of fighters, and are certainly capable of coming up with a couple of upsets."

Barnaby rated Columbia as the stronger team on the basis of their superb depth. "Princeton has brilliance at the top, but their talent tapers off after that. Columbia has six or seven top-notch tournament players," he said.

The results of the ECAC fall tennis tournament provide some indication of the relative strength of the three teams. Columbia won with 36 team points, Princeton was second with 32, and Harvard finished third with 30 1/2.

Bobby Odaiz, who was the tournament singles champion for Columbia as a sophomore, has dropped out, but Barnaby feels that this has not significantly weakened the Lions. Bob Binns and Mark Massey, the two top players, are up from last year's undefeated freshman team.

Doug Grunther, co-captain Larry Parsont and Ace Baumgold played one through three last year. Now they are three through five. Sophomore Kirk Moritz rounds out the singles.

With this abundance of young talent, the Columbia coach has been trying out different combinations in doubles. The one set team of Parsont and co-captain Lloyd Emanuel has been playing together for three years. Binns and Massey and Grunther and Moritz are likely teams in today's match.

Columbia has risen from the second division to become the top contender in only two years largely as a result of an intensive alumni campaign. In addition to the active recruiting, two new courts under an air dome have been installed, and a club house is now under construction. Harvard beat Columbia last year, 7-2.

Princeton, coming off of 9-0 victories over Fordham, Colgate and Army, is very strong at the top with captain Bill Colson and sophomore Harold Rabinovitz. Jim Bright, Mike Shapiro, Rick Weir and Steve Olen at three through six are all solid returners from last year's team that beat Harvard, 5-4.

Scott Rogers teams with Colson at first doubles. Bright and Rabinovitz and Weir and Olen are the other two teams.

The only change in Harvard's weekend lineup is at number six singles where sophomore Tom Loring replaces Peter Briggs after winning a three set challenge match on Thursday.

"Loring played like a rock against Penn," coach Barnaby said. "His service returns were really tough, and he was making great percentage shots."

Barnaby is counting heavily on good performances from the top two doubles teams. "Briggs and Randy Barnett are erratic, but they're getting better all the time. On Wednesday they proved that they can pull out a close match, and if they're on their game they're a very strong second doubles team."

"I'm very happy with this team," Barnaby concluded. "Not that I would turn down a superstar, but it's nice to have guys who know how to go out there and really fight."