Racquetwomen Rout UMass-Amherst, 9-0

Injuries and a long trip to Western Massachusetts, not the opposing players, provided the only obstacles yesterday for the Harvard women's tennis team, as it coasted to a 9-0 rout of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

In the top spot, freshman Elizabeth Evans had one of the day's tougher matches, defeating UMass's Barbara Mills by a 6-4, 7-5 score. Sophomore Erica Schulman, the second-ranked player, and number three freshman Tracy Kunichika won by more lopsided margins: 6-2, 6-1, and 6-1, 6-1, respectively.

Avary Sheary, who took Lisa Schneider to a second-set tiebreaker in Schneider's 6-3, 7-6 win, was the only UMass player besides Mills to gain more than three games in a singles match.

The three doubles matches followed roughly the same pattern. The lone Harvard lapse occurred when Schneider and senior Kristin Mertz, playing in the second doubles spot, dropped a set at love in the middle of a three-set victory.

Injuries accounted for two of the three no-shows. Freshman Erica Smith and sophomore captain Maria Pe, both of whom missed Saturday's Greater Boston Championships, were still out, while junior Tiina Bougas, fresh off a win in her customary number-one slot in the GBC's, was rested by coach Don Usher, who apparently expected a one-sided match.

Usher has had few serious problems due to injuries, as a result of the team's unusual depth. Despite the absence of both Smith and Pe the Crimson came close to sweeping the singles titles at the GBC's. The only close call of the season thus far was last week's 5-4 squeaker versus Penn State.

Yesterday's win, along with the Penn State decision and a previous victory over B.C., brings the Crimson's record to 3-0.

The netwomen will next see action when they take on Boston University at home on Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m.