Tennis Team Looks for Triple Crown

Peter Felske wants his women's tennis team to be, "not just a local or state power, but a regional power," as Tiina Bougas, his top player says. When Felske returns from Amherst and the New England Championships this Sunday he will probably have his wish.

He will get it because the simple truth of the matter is, his team is good. To date the Crimson racqueteers have recorded impressive wins in the GBCs and the Massachusetts State Championships, as well as dual meet victories over traditional powers Tufts and Trinity.

This weekend they take aim at the third jewel of their fall season triple crown, that elusive gem which eluded them last year.

In that tournament, Felske's charges made a go of it, but came up points short of eventual champion Dartmouth and Trinity, settling for third place. This year the competition will be tougher, as Ivy power Yale makes its debut in the tournament. But the six players Felske takes with him to Amherst should be able to avoid any traps their Ivy sisters may set for them.

Those six players are:

TIINA BOUGAS. The GBC and Mass State Champ is in the singles draw, and is favored to add the New England Championship to her list of titles. Unchallenged so far this fall, her deep and accurate baseline shots should keep her out of trouble. "I think she'll win the singles." Felske says.

MEG MEYER. The plucky Harvard captain is unseeded in the singles draw, but is expected to garner some points for the Crimson with her solid all round game.

MARTHA ROBERTS and DEBBIE KALISH. Harvard's number one doubles team, and winners of last week's Mass State title, is seeded second in the doubles bracket. Kalish and Roberts both possess similar serve-and-volley games and are particularly adept at the net.

Freshman Kalish, the GBC fifth singles champ who has yet to lose a match this fall, should continue her steady play. Roberts, is playing like the Martha of Old as her powerful game has been growing more accurate with each match.

KRISTEN MERTZ and ABBY MEISELMAN. The long and short of it on the tennis team, the two sophomores drew the eighth seed in the doubles bracket, which "can only help," as Felske says. Meiselman, winner of the GBC's fourth singles title, is a scrappy baseline player. Mertz, another GBC champ who is undefeated this fall, will bring a strong serve and net game to the combo.

Freshman Kalish, the GBC fifth singles champ who has yet to lose a match this fall, should continue her steady play.

In Friday's opening play all the Crimson draws advanced to Saturday's rounds.

In the singles, favored Bougas defeated Bridget McCarthy of Colby, 6-1, 6-0, and Barbara Mills of UMass, 6-2, 6-1, to advance to the third round.

On the opposite side of the bracket, Meg Meyer also advanced, stopping Connie Megan of Northeaster, 6-3, 6-1, and Springfield's Kim Bemiller, 6-4, 6-1.

The second-seeded team of Martha Roberts and Debbie Kalish advanced in the doubles, dumping UMass, 6-2, 6-2, and Weslyan, 6-1, 6-2. Abby Meiselman and Kris Mertz moved into the quarterfinal round with easy victories over Fairfield, (6-0, 6-1,) Smith (6-1, 6-2,) and BU. (6-3, 6-1).

"It looks like Harvard and Dartmouth are the two strongest teams here," Felske said yesterday. "We'll see who comes out on top."