Netsters Claw Way to Ivy Title

It was the Clash of the Titans.

After more than seven hours and some 150 games, the Harvard men's tennis team defeated arch-rival Princeton, 5-2, to capture sole possesion of both the Ivy League and EITA crowns.

Both teams entered the Palmer-Dixon tennis courts expecting a great match. Princeton had a chance to tie Harvard for the two titles and possibly secure a bid to the upcoming NCAA Championships later this month.

But the trip to Athens, Ga., for an appearance in the national tourney now belongs to the Crimson netmen.

The tennis duel began at 2 p.m. and didn't end until 9 p.m. What happened in between was "exceptional," Harvard Coach Dave Fish said. "The level of tennis was really superb."

The top two Crimson players ran into some fierce Tigers. Larry Scott, Harvard's first racquet, faced a pumped up John Bartos. Scott lost his serve in the opening game, but recovered and broke back in the fourth and eighth games.

But Bartos would not fall without a last try. Urging himself on with chants of "refuse to lose," he fought back to capture the first set, winning in a 7-5 tie-breaker.

Scott was never really able to recover, dropping the second set, 6-3.

Tiger netman Tim Main used a strong arsenal of passing shots to knock off Crimson Captain Peter Palandjian at second singles, 6-2, 6-3, giving Princeton a quick 2-0 advantage.

Bill Stanley and Arkie Engle--the Crimson's third and fourth racquets respectively--evened the match at two each by posting dramatic victories.

First, Stanley overcame the lashing serves and grounstrokes of 6-ft., 5-in. Tiger counterpart Mark Ozer.

"I was down a set point at 5-3, then I began to hit the ball harder and deeper," the 5-ft., 8-in. Stanley said. "I also got a few lucky breaks."

Stanley prevailed in the first set, 7-5. The second set saw the entrance of an umpire--not because anyone was cheating, butbecause Ozer's serve was becoming impossible tocall. It was simply too fast. Stanley completedthe two-hour match with a 6-4 victory in thesecond set.

Then, after dropping the first set, 6-3, Engleforced Princeton's Dave Gerken into a third set bywinning the second, 7-6 (10-8). The Harvard netmanprevailed, 7-6 (7-4), in the third and decisiveset.

"Arkie was not in the match until [Gerken] wasserving for the match," Fish said. "At thechange-over, I told him `this is how you become ahero."' That may sound easy, but coming back fromfour match points is no easy task.

The second set tie-breaker didn't get underwayuntil 7 p.m.--time for granola bars, bananas, andwheat thins. Lunch was a long way off by now, soenergy was in need.

With the match all knotted at two, theCrimson's Paul Palandjian (fifth singles) andDarryl Laddin (sixth singles dispensed of theirTiger counterparts rather easily.

Palandjian topped Jacob Leschley in straightsets (6-3,6-1) while Laddin whipped David Coats,6-0, 6-2.

"[Palandjian and Laddin] had remarkable shotsand tremendous consistency. They overpowered theiropponents," Fish said.

"I was very pleased--it's the best I've playedin a while, and I felt very confident out there,"Laddin said.

With the Crimson now leading, 4-2, only onedoubles match was necessary. With the sun alreadylong gone, the coaches agreed to start only one ofthe doubles matches.

The third doubles tandem of Peter Palandjianand Dave Clark took the court for Harvard againstPrinceton's Jeff O'Dwyer and Tom Steiglehner. TheCrimson netmen had played together for only twosets previously, but the lack of experienceplaying as a duo did not show.

"It was a fine display of tennis, we reallygave them a lesson out there," Fish said.

Palandjian and Clark never let theiropponenents into the match, triumphingconvincingly 6-4, 6-0 to clinch the overallvictory--and the two titles.

With the Harvard victory assured, the remainingdoubles matches were ommitted.

"The intensity level was very high--everyonerose to the occasion," Stanley said. "Now toAthens, Ga."

THE NOTEBOOK: This was Assistant CoachTom Glenn's last regular season match at Harvard.After five years with the Crimson, Glenn isleaving for the ranks of the business world. Inthe latest coaches' poll, Harvard is ranked 20thin the nation. In the collegiate singles ranks,Stanley is currently ranked 49th, Scott is 53rd,and Peter Palandjian is 77th. Scott and Engle arethe ninth-ranked doubles team in the nation