Two Harvard Cagers Quit; Crimson Offense Shifts Gears

Two starting members of the Harvard women's basketball team. Marget Long and Lisa Leithauser, decided over vacation to quit the squad. They will leave the team at the midseason mark before as Friday Dartmouth rematch.

Leithauser and Long shared a key baseline position. Long averaged 7.8 points a game--third on the Crimson roster while Leithauser had earned Long's starting position just before the Christmas recess and averaged 4.4 as the Crimson's sixth-man.

Team members and Coach Kathy Delaney Smith say Leithauser missed practices scheduled over the recess. "I hadn't expected Lisa back on the team after she missed practices and broke the rules. But I'm really in the dark about why she didn't practice."

Leithauser commented upon returning from, vacation yesterday. "I just decided today that I wasn't going to play. I'll talk to coaches tomorrow." Her decision comes as a surprise to some, especially after her start against Springfield College Dec 15 Leithauser scored 12 points, just one behind the team's leading scorer, and snagged a game high 10 rebounds.

Adjustments

"Nobody is sure why Lisa is gone, and everybody is really surprised," commented freshman Lon Stewart one of the few forwards left. "We'll he losing some of our depth, but Kathy is making some quick adjustments. Our only worry is possible injuries. "But we're working it out, and I think our morale is really up to beat Dartmouth Friday."

Citing personal reasons, Long said she had not been happy with some of the changes in the basketball program. "I think it was better for everyone involved that I not play." Long added. "When you aren't having a good time doing something, you can drag others down as well."

Long led the Crimson in scoring last season, but after becoming ill and missing a contest at Penn she saw less playing time. But she emphasized that her differences had very little to do with any coaching decision. "I just had trouble adjusting to the intensity of the program after last year's philosophy, which was the exact opposite," she said.

With Long and Leithauser gone, Smith has adjusted her player combinations. Cindy Clapp, the Crimson's most consistent shooter, will move into their position, and freshman Anna Collins will take Clapp's former spot.

"I anticipated that some players might have trouble adjusting to my style of coaching, since we are in transition." Smith commented. "But it's much easier for a coach to work with 12 players than 14, and I think our new combinations are working well. It's top had that they decided to quit, because I believe they were very talented players."