Aquamen Drop Finale to Brown

It's becoming a familiar story for the Harvard water polo team, and this weekend's event, the New England Championships at Blodgett Pool was just the latest chapter.

Brown came, Brown saw. Brown conquered.

In yesterday's finale to determine the champion, the Bruins easily outswam and outshot the beleaguered aquamen, coasting to a 12-4 victory to reaffirm their dominance in New England water. Harvard has now succumbed to Brown six straight times on the past two years.

On the strength of Dick Rento's four goals, the Bruins jumped off to a 5-2 halftime lead, still within striking distance of the Crimson. By keying in on Harvard's scoring ace Dave Fasi, Brown's defense shut down Harvard's offense, only allowing goals from Phil Atkinson and co-captain Houston Hall in the first half. The aquamen stayed close solely because of spectacular play from netminder Rich "Wall" Reid, including five dramatic saves in the second period.

Brown broke the game open after the half by gradually wearing down the aquamen and then exploding for four goals in the final two minutes of the third period. Co-captain Rento and his charges succeeded in penetrating the Crimson defense, while the home team's attack lapsed into nonexistence.

With the game all but over, senior John Fisher chipped in two goals in the final stanza to add some measure of respectability to the Harvard offense. "We played terribly," coach Steve Pike said after the 12-4 loss,"especially on offense."

Loose refereeing characterized the game, permitting Brown to capitalize on their size advantage over the aquamen. In addition, Harvard spent nearly the entire game on defense, and the extra swimming obviously took its toll on the Crimson in the second half.

Despite the lass of Brown, the aquamen had a winning weekend thanks to victories over Yale and MIT.

On Sunday morning, the Elis outshot the Crimson 28-23, but Reid turned enough Yale shots away to ensure a Harvard win. Hawaiian co-captain Allen Damon, Yale's answer to Harvard's Dave Fasi, recorded a hat trick in trying to come back from a 5-0 halftime deficit, but otherwise, Yale proved no match for the aquamen. Tim Maximoff tallied a hat trick of his own for Harvard, and junior Rich Guerra played an exceptionally strong game, scoring twice.

In Harvard's first match of the tournament the aquamen triumphed for the fourth straight time this year over MIT, 15-8. Guerra led the onslaught with four goals and was ably assisted by teammates Hall and Fasi, who had three goals apiece. The Engineers, however, just barely managed to join Harvard and Brown in qualifying, for the Easterns next weekend by out a last-season win over Sunday afternoon.

In other Tournament action, Trinity College slipped by Williams 6-4 Saturday night to dethrone the Ephmen for the Division II championship.

THE NOTEBOOK: The Harvard Band showed up en masse for the Brown contest yesterday. They soon sensed things were not going well for the aquamen and began playing the theme from "laws" as the Bruins swam towards to Harvard goal...On the other side of the pool Bruin goalie Pat Harrington played with a bandaged broken finger on his left hand.