Men's Squash Squad Quells Quakers

Sure Penn's men's squash team used to be good Back in his heyday coach AI Mulloy won four national championships outright and shared a couple more with Harvard's Jack Batnaby As recently as late 1980 the Quakers caused genuine concern among the Crimson that they could be the wreakers in an other wise undefeated season.

Though their past is Iummous the Quakers could not dig up enough personnel Saturday to give the second-best team in the country an even halfway-competitive match. Harvard turned its back on remembrances of things past by compromising the Quakers, 90.

A sampling David Boyum took Matt Panarese. 15-12, 15-3, 15-3. Chip Robie routed Andujaar Malik, 15-12, 15-3, 15-6, Mitch Reese, edging Robie for the least point-allowed award, ran through Randy Smith, 15-4, 15-8, 15-8. John Dineen dismissed John McCracken, 16-15, 15-8, 15-10. Jim Lubowit/ left Greg Lut/ on the street corner, 15-9, 15-7, 15-9. Peter Dineen progressively dismantled Andy Sockelow, 15-13, 15-10, 15-8.

Only Geordie Lemmon broke the pattern significantly, needing five games (9-15, 12-15, 15-12, 15-12, 15-9) to overcome smooth Sidney Tyson.

It was harvest time for the Crimson not to mention party line squash. The team unveiled its customary array of shots. In a quality and quantity the Quakers found impossible to match. Harvard possessed simply too much of what they call "racket skills"--shot-making touch, timing for their less-experienced and probably less-talented opponents.

No Surprise

It the Crimson varied from its typical performance, the squad did it with a more aggressive. Pressuring style of play Self-assured and relaxed, Harvard's racquetmenun leashed more everhand serves than usual, cranked more of that letting it drop to waist level and most impressively cut off opponents shots at the "T." enabling them to take the ball on the volley.

For the Quakers, struggling to uphold the reputation of their mighty ancestors, the outcome. If not unexpected, had to be disappointing On court, the Quakers play like makes. But four seniors and three juniors occupy positions one through seven. Their only sophomore plays eight, and their only freshman takes the ninth spot.

Junior

Obviously, something has gone wrong. The Quakers are Struggling through a tough season which includes losses to Williams. Navy and Yale, and Mulloy isn't pulling in the recruits like he used to Philadelphia-area players, once the stronghold of his program, have been flocking to Princeton, and the team has fallen into the unrewarding trend of building with average players who work their way up the team ranks to play varsity for one or two years. Four of Mulloy's top six players graduated last year, five of six the year before that and five of six the year before that.

"There's been a big turnover, and it's been very tough to work with that," the Quaker coach with 23 years experience said after the match Saturday. "However, we've got a bunch of kids really trying, coming back each day. Hopefully we'll get wins somewhere."