Racquetmen Squash Pros In Boston Open Tourney

Two Harvard racquetmen claimed victory in the opening round of the world Professional Squash Association Boston Open tournament at the University Club last night.

Freshman Kenton Jernigan and sophomore David Boyum both defeated squash professionals to advance to tomorrow's second round.

Jernigan notched one of the tourney's first upsets, downing eighth-ranked pro Tom Page. After spotting Page two sets, Jerntgan came back to win three straight to take the 10-15, 11-15, 15-12, 15-4, 15-10 victory.

In the first two sets, Page was playing his game, hitting several low drop shots and foreign Jernigan to move close to the front wall Page set a deliberate pace, luring the freshman away from the power game he prefers. "Tommy kept baiting a trap for Kenton, and Kenton just stepped into the trap and the jaws closed around him." Harvard Coach Dave Fish said.

But Jernigan started to set his own pace in the third set, using his drives to speed up the play and leave Page behind. "He started playing a different game in the third set," Jernigan said after the win. "He had been tripping me up with a lot of drop shots, but then he just tell back and I began hitting a lot of winners off of him."

Jernigan's win shows that he can "play with maturity." Fish said. "He responded to Tom a as though his pro tanking did not exist."

While Jernigan had to come from behind, teammate Boyum was always in control of his match, easily dispatching teaching pro Tom Rumpler, 15-6, 15-9, 12-15, 15-8 Though Boyum said he considers Rumpler a friend, the Crimson sophomore spared nothing in the match, using an assortment of finesse shots to handcuff his opponent.

Boyum forced Rumpler to the backhand wall, then put him away with crosscourt rolls The sophomore's quickness and fearless use of change-of-pace shots continually frustrated the more conservative Rumpler After some of Boyum's drop shots. Rumpler scolded himself aloud, openly upset at his in ability to return Boyum's offering.

Not all of Boyum's success came on trick shots, though, as he frequently smashed Rumpler's weak returns into the base of the front wall.

Fish explained that the Crimson racquet men could compete with seasoned professionals because of the meteoric rise of squash in this country.

"With more and more players learning the game at an earlier age, the skill level in U.S squash is rising rapidly," Fish said "Harvard's top three players started early and are now at the point where they can compete and do well against the pros."