Racquetmen Fall in Amateur Title Match

Everyone loses sometime--even the Harvard men's squash team.

The nation's number one-ranked racquetmen lost for the first time in a year this weekend, falling to Mexico, 4-1, in the finals of the United States Squash and Racquetball Amateur Tournament (USSRA) in Philadelphia.

Ironically, the last time the Crimson dropped a match was also against Mexico, and also in the finals of the USSRAs.

With Harvard's top two players-- Darius Pandole and Rusty Ball-- ineligible for team competition because of their entrance in the individual amateur championship, a quintet of the Crimson's next top-five players set out to recapture the national five-man title Harvard last won in 1985.

The racquetmen started off well in the tournament, whipping Williams, 5-0, in the quarterfinals after receiving a first-round bye.

Harvard's win vaulted it into a contest against Yale. The Crimson rolled to its second straight shutout, scoring a 5-0 decision over the Elis.

In the semifinals, the racquetmen demolished New York's "B" team, 4-1, to set up a rematch between the participants of the last five consecutive final-round contests.

Leading Off

In the opening match, Harvard's Will Iselin, playing number four, opened a 2-1 game advantage against Mexico's Tarvier Villeda. But Villeda rebounded to win the final two games.

In the number-three match, Harvard Co-Captain Kevin Jernigan pulled out a 15-6, 5-15, 17-18, 15-6, 15-6 decision over Mexico's Miguel Monterio.

After falling behind, 2-1, Jernigan battled back, taking both the fourth and deciding fifth games by identical 15-6 counts to tie the match, 1-1.

Harvard's number-five player, Jack Colbourne, lost a close 8-15, 15-13, 15-13, 9-15, 14-15 decision to Mexico's Enrique Pajan.

"We played well. We usually pull out the fifth game," Jernigan said. "But we didn't close them out against Mexico. They are a tough team."

In the number-two match, Harvard freshman John Bernheimer jumped out to a 2-1 advantage over Mexico's Oscar Ojeda, but Ojeda bounced back.

With the scored tie, 13-13, in the fifth and deciding contest, Ojeda captured the final two points to win the game and secure Mexico's second straight championship.

Harvard Co-Captain Joe Dowling, playing number one, rounded out the tourney for the Crimson with a 11-15, 15-10, 13-15, 15-14, 15-12 loss to Louis Rodriguez.

The top-ranked Crimson fared no better in the single championships.

After receiving a first-round bye, Harvard's Pandole knocked off George Lemon, 3-0, in the second round and then won by default in the round of 16.

But in the quartefinals, Pandole lost to 17-year old Mexican sensation Juarda Rodriquez, 3-1.

Bye-Bye

Ball--who also received an opening-round bye--smashed Soli Mata, 3-1, and then Mehmad Nathini by the same count.

However, like Pandole. Ball fell in the quarterfinals, losing to Princeton's Jeff Stanley, 12-15, 15-13, 15-9, 15-18, 15-13. Stanley is the top ranked amateur player in the country.

The Crimson, which first took the USSRA title in 1925, has won the national five-man championships nine times.