Crimson Racquetmen Take 5th Straight Title

Harvard's squash team won its fifth straight national intercollegiate championship yesterday without even raising a racquet.

Harvard tied Princeton for the title when the Tigers, in their final match of the season, downed Dartmouth 8-1. Under the system used to determine the national champion, teams are judged not solely on their won-lost records but on their cumulative scores against mutual opponents.

The Crimson lost a total of ten individual matches this season, five in a loss to the Tigers, three against Pennsylvania, and two to Dartmouth. In addition to their single loss against the Green, Princeton dropped four points to Harvard and five in a loss to Pennsylvania.

Thus, both teams have surrendered an equal number of points over the season, tying for the national championship. Perennial bridesmaid Pennsylvania, having allowed two points to the Big Green, four to the Tigers, and six to the Crimson last Saturday, was not involved in the title picture.

Harvard, winning its twelfth national squash championship in the last 13 years, came close to winning the crown outright. Princeton's second and eighth men, Dave Bottger and Jeff Oakes, had to struggle before eking out 3-2 wins.