Netwomen Whip Green, 8-1

The Harvard women's tennis team is on a roll.

After easily defeating Columbia and Penn last weekend, the netwomen continued their winning ways yesterday by defeating Dartmouth, 8-1, in Hanover, N.H.

The victory, which upped the Crimson's Ivy League record to 3-0 (9-6 overall), extended Harvard's unbeaten streak to four consecutive matches.

"We've been playing solid tennis," Coach Ed Krass said. "We were definitely prepared. We came in respecting Dartmouth, because they had defeated Penn and Columbia also."

During its current winning streak, Harvard has won 30 individual matches while dropping only six. The victory over the Big Green also improved Harvard's Ancient Eight record to 27-1 over the past five years.

The four-time defending Ivy League champs had no problems against Dartmouth.

Senior Kathy Vigna, the Crimson's number-one singles player, defeated Chrissy Kirkmire, 6-4, 6-4, to lead the netwomen. Other straight-set singles winners included Kristin Bland, Catherine Dragomirescu (also 6-4, 6-4 winners), and Kathy Mulvehal--a 6-3, 6-0 victor over Heather Staley.

In the only three-set singles match, junior Cyndy Austrian split the first two sets and then took a 7-3, third-set tiebreaker decision from Green opponent Stephanie Taylor.

Captain Robin Boss was Harvard's sole loser on the day, dropping a 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) decision to Dartmouth's Kelly Busby. Overall, however, the Crimson snagged 15 of the 20 total sets played.

"To win by such a decisive margin," Boss said, "makes us feel good. It shows we're ready to play tough games."

Double the Fun

In doubles action, the top duo of Boss and Bland captured a 6-3, 6-2 win over Kirkmire and Julie Park, leading Harvard to a sweep over the Big Green.

Vigna and Austrian triumphed in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. After losing the first set, 6-7, to Chrissy Sterns and Julia Maiers, Dragomirescu and Mulvehal easily took the next two sets, 6-1, 6-3.

"We're the best team [since I've been here]," Boss said, "in the sense that we work together best. No one seems to be working against everyone else like in previous years."

Tomorrow, Harvard will put its winning streak on the line when it hosts Syracuse in a critical Eastern Regional match.