Netmen Nip Quakers, 6-3

The Harvard men's tennis team opened its Ivy League season with a 6-3 victory at Penn yesterday afternoon.

The match was an unexpectedly close one for the Crimson, which went undefeated in the Ivies last year. "A few of us had rather slow performances," Arkie Engle, the team's fifth singles player, said.

Bill Stanley led the way for the Crimson (now 8-4). Playing at third singles, Stanley scored a lopsided 6-1, 6-0 victory over the Quakers' Paul Settles.

Engle defeated Penn's Bob Sergent in a tough three-set match, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4.

He then combined with Co-Captain Larry Scott for the Crimson's fifth and decisive win at first doubles. Scott and Engle defeated Penn's John Sobel and Greg Band, 6-4, 6-3.

Earlier, Scott defeated Sobel, 6-3, 6-3 at first singles.

Band accounted for one of the Quakers' three wins with a close 7-5, 7-6 win over the Crimson's Peter Palandjian at second singles.

It was a rough day for Palandjian. He and Darryl Laddin also suffered a close loss at second doubles, falling 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to Glenn Ciotti and Mitch Spiegel.

The Crimson travels to Columbia today for what is expected to be its toughest Ivy contest of the year. The Lions will a have considerable advantage because the match will be played on clay courts, a surface the Crimson has not played on all year.