It's Off to Nationals for Netwomen; USC is First Round Opponent Saturday

When the Harvard women's tennis team travels to UCLA today to compete in the NCAAs, the Crimson will face the grim prospect of a Saturday encounter with the nation's fifth-best team the University of Southern California.

There's no way the Crimson can compete with a huge school like USC in the ultimate California sport (not counting Frisbee) Right?

Well, don't try telling that to Harvard Coach Don Usher who, while not exactly cocky, thinks the netwomen can show something against the Women of Troy.

"I wouldn't bet the ranch on it [a Harvard victory in the first round], but I'd bet a dollar," he said last night.

Radicalization

While Usher is quick to recognize that USC has the superior talent--the top four singles players are all ranked on the World Tennis Association computer, all played in the U.S. Open qualifier last year, and the top three are ranked in the nation's top 10--he seems confident he'll soon have that extra dollar.

All of the netwomen have beaten players in reciprocal positions on top 10 teams already this season, so the question in Usher's mind is the probability of all of them peaking at the same time.

Because the team will face exams upon its return and the USC squad and most of the other schools that will participate in the 16-team tourney have already finished their schoolwork, the Crimson is at a disadvantage, Usher said.

One factor that will work for Harvard in its first appearance in the national tourney will be the site of the matches. The event is being played at the new outdoor tennis pavilion at UCLA and will mark the first competition held on courts that have been built to, among other things, host the tennis demonstration during the Olympic Games.

Thus, none of the teams, even the ones who play UCLA regularly like Pac-10 rival USC, will have had the experience of playing on them.

Another interesting point is that although the Harvard rooting section will consist only of parents, the many fans at the 5000 6000 seat facility will be UCLA supporters. Few Bruin supporters would ever find it in their hearts to root for USC.

This spring the netwomen played the Women of Troy in the seventh and final match of their spring tour. The Crimson fell, 9-0, but several of the matches went three sets and Usher believes that if all of the Harvard players peak and USC has an average performance, then the Crimson has a good chance. The coach does concede that if the Women of Troy play to their potential, then the netwomen will be outmatched from the start.

Also working against the Crimson is the fact that the USC players have had an opportunity all year, and particularly recently, to play many of the very best teams in the nation.

Harvard, on the other hand, has been very successful but its success has come mostly from beating up on lower-caliber schools of the Northeast.

A week after the team tournament, UCLA will host the national individual champions in singles and doubles. Sixty-four singles players have been invited from all over the country, including Harvard's top two--junior Elizabeth Evans and freshman Kathy Vigna. And in doubles, two Harvard teams will compete in the field of 32: Vigna and sophomore Roberta Hing and Evans and freshman Robin Boss.

Evans, ranked 15th in the country, and Vigna, 27th, are hoping to win their first two matches and claim the All-American honors that go with making the round of 16.

The doubles teams will have to win their first two matches to make the quarter finals and gain All-American recognition. Evans and Boss were recently ranked 10th and Hing and Vigna 17th nationally.

Usher, despite the many hurdles his squad has to face, feels good about the two tournaments.

"You've got nothing to lose," he said. "Legitimately, no one can expect anything from you."

But if all his players do peak?"

"If it's there, together, we're gonna be hell on wheels."