...And 9-5 Netwomen Record Fifth Straight

The Harvard women's tennis team notched a 6-3 victory over Yale yesterday afternoon at the Palmer Dixon Courts. The triumph boosted the netwomen's season record to 9-5.

Though defeated, the Bulldogs will not have to leave Cambridge with their tails between their legs.

"Yale came more prepared to play," Harvard Coach Don Usher said. "They came out fighting and really took it to us."

Harvard's number one singles player, Kathy Vigna, started out slow and never recovered. She dropped straight sets to Yale's Meghan McMahon, 6-1, 7-5.

Erika Smith, playing in the third spot for the Crimson, dropped her first set to Yale's Andrea Williams, 6-4. Smith battled back to take the second set, 6-4, but fell in the third, 6-2.

Harvard netwoman Cindy Buchsbaum, playing second, bashed Bulldog Susan Liebowitz in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

"Our depth was the deciding factor," Usher said. "Our four, five and six players and our first two doubles proved to be the key."

The Crimson's number four, Robin Boss, ended Yale's Molly Quest's quest for victory. Boss quelled Quest in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4.

Cyndy Austrian, playing in the fifth slot for Harvard, breezed by Bulldog Elizabeth Baldwin, 6-3, 7-6.

Yale's number six, Jennifer Brown, didn't have a chance against Martha Berkman. Berkman mauled Brown in the opening set, 6-2, and murdered her in the second, 6-0.

Vigna and Smith, both coming off singles losses, paired up to take on Yale's Williams and Quest. The Crimson's dynamic duo rebounded and grabbed straight sets, 6-4, 6-3.

Yale's Liebowitz and Baldwin were not so fortunate. Unable to avenge defeats in the singles, they bowed to Boss and Beckman, 6-3, 6-2.

The Bulldogs' sole doubles victory came in the third spot. Brown and Gollob snatched a 6-4 victory from Harvard Captain Roberta Hing and Kristin Bland in the opening set, and fell by the same score in the second. Brown and Gollob took the third set--tainted by Hing spraining her ankle--again by a score of 6-4.

Smith and Boss will join Hing on the bench in today's competition against Brown at Palmer Dixon. Usher decided to rotate his line-up because of the level of competition, as Yale blasted Brown 9-0 earlier in the season.