Tracksters Win Handily, Down Brown, Dartmouth

When Harvard's women's track trekked up to Hanover this weekend they didn't expect to lose big, but then they didn't really expect to win big, either--which they did, annihilating all opposition and ending the day with 90 points, against a surprised Big Green with 60, unsurprised Brown with 34, and poor Albany State with a meager 6.

The tracksters stand at 5-1 now for the season, and they're looking, well, unstoppable. And not just that perennial distance running elite. The sprinters, hurdlers, and field performers came through for the Crimson this time, dismissing in a single gesture the numerous complaints and criticisms levied at the tracksters' so-called "weak" departments.

Starting off on the right foot, or feet, rather. Harvard put together a sprint relay team that blew past Dartmouth for a first place finish at 1:52.40. Kristen Linsley kept up the pace by winning the next event, the 1500 meters, and set a new record later in the afternoon at double the distance, clinching the 300 meters in 9:56.8.

Then came the field events. Harvard's Beth Cooley coolly heaved a 9.28 meters to win the shot put, while on another side of the track Liane Rozzell took a second in the high jump, missing her Dartmouth competitor by millimeters, and long jumpers Karen Ueda and Lenny Yajima placed second and third in their events.

The unstoppable Darlene Beckford confined her talents to the shorter events this time, winning both the 440 meters and the 800 meters, the former in a school record time of 58:06.

Not Routine

Rounding out the accolades, Harvard's Karen Gray won the 55 Hurdles, something Harvard doesn't routinely do.

Dasher Karen Blount took respectable thirds in both the 55 meter and 200 meter events, and with a win in the two mile relay to cap a perfect day, the trackster crew headed back to Cambridge to enjoy their first real two-day weekend in a very long time.

THE NOTEBOOK: The tracksters meet Yale and Princeton here next weekend as the crimson takes a shot at the Ivy Title. Be on hand for a great meet.