Racquetwomen Win Two In Howe Cup Tournament

NEW HAVEN, Conn.--The Harvard women's squash team stayed on course in its quest to secure its first Howe Cup by defeating teams from Brown and Penn yesterday afternoon here at Payne Whitney Gymnasium.

Fielding its strongest team in recent memory, the Crimson began the 20-team tournament by whipping Brown for the second time in as many months, this time by 6-1. The middle of Harvard's ladder, from number-two Diana Staley to number-six Courtney Stimpson coasted to easy straight-set wins Mary Hulbert and Lili Pew encountered more difficulty at numbers one and seven, respectively.

High School

Pew, a sophomore, dropped the first game to Bruin Susan Wissler but roared back to score a convincing 12-15, 15-10, 15-10, 15-6 victory. In contrast, Yearling Hulbert won the first game of her debut at number one but dropped the next three to Brown's Jennifer Meagher, an old high school rival of Staley's.

The fortunes of both Harvard and number one Hulbert carried over into the second match of the day led by freshmen in the top two slots (like Harvard). Penn's youth prevailed in the opening rounds as Alicia McConnell ("the brightest star in this year's freshman crop" according to Crimson coach Jack Barnaby) knocked out Hulbert, 15-6, 15-18, 15-10, 15-10, and Karen Kelso Ko'd Staley in similar fashion.

Harvard's depth proved the deciding factor, however. Relying on the experience of their veterans, the racquet women swept the remaining matches without surrendering a game to nail down a 5-2 win.

Merger

Going into today's match against Yale and tomorrow's climax versus Princeton. Harvard's squad looks solid, with the exception of Hulbert, who remains a question mark Recently replacing Staley at number one, the freshman has yet to prove herself in the hot seat.

"She's improved her game a great deal, but still needs a little seasoning." Barnaby said yesterday in between Hulbert's two losses That seasoning will have to develop in 24 hours if the Crimson is to have a good chance to dethrone powerhouse Princeton which has taken the Howe Cup every year but one since the tourney originated in 1973.