Trackwomen Squeak By Tigers, 58-56

The women's track squad, in its last indoor meet of the season, squeaked by a favored Princeton team at the first annual Big Three track meet Saturday at Yale.

Despite a strong showing in track events, Princeton failed to break Harvard's early lead and finished the meet with 56 points to the Crimson's 58. Yale trailed with 20.

Harvard leaped out in front in the field events, taking first in the shotput and high jump. "The field people really won the meet for us," head coach Pappy Hunt said yesterday.

High-jumper Sue Hewitt tied a school record of 5-ft. 2-in. in the strongest individual showing of the afternoon. Freshman Kim Johnson won the shot with Lisa Westway placing third, and Kathy Rice added a second in the long jump.

Bail Out

Princeton threatened to overtake Harvard in the track events in part because Pat Gopaul, Harvard's strongest runner, was sidelined by an injury suffered last week at the New Englands. Star Tigress Jill Pilgrim was touted to lead a Princeton win in the 880 relay; but the Harvard team of Kim Claremont, Leslie Sims, Rice and Kathy Dorsey scored an upset victory when a poorly-passed baton slowed the Princeton foursome.

The meet in New Haven ran smoothly until an official motioned a false start in the hurdles but his gun failed to fire. Crimson runners Sue Harper and Karen Ueda placed first and second, respectively, in the event; but Princeton, which placed third, contested the Harvard victory.

"Once a runner has crossed the finish line you're not supposed to start over," team member Sarah Linsley said yesterday. "We consider the event won," Hunt added.

The trackwomen, who boast a 5-2 record on the season, plan to send eight squad members to Princeton this weekend to compete in the Easterns. Their outdoor season opens April 7 with a dual meet against the University of Massachusetts.