Squash Teams Collect Titles

NEW HAVEN--They're not ranked number one for nothing.

Saturday, Harvard's only number-one ranked teams--the men's and women's squash squads--upheld their ranking by capturing the national championship and Ivy titles.

In the showdown with the Elis Saturday afternoon, the racquetmen (11-0 overall, 4-0 Ivy) earned their sixth straight national nine-man and Ivy League championships with a 6-3 victory here over Yale.

Harvard, a winner of 69-straight games, has now won 27 national championships, which is equivalent to 27 NCAA championships. Harvard has also captured 28 Ivy League titles. Harvard's seniors will graduate without the Crimson ever dropping a dual match.

The racquetwomen (7-0 overall, 4-0 Ivy) captured the Ivy League and national nine-woman title with an 8-1 victory over Princeton at Hemenway Gym.

"This team didn't have the talent of the past four or five teams," Harvard Assistant men's Coach John Anz said "but they worked hard all year to get at the level of past teams."

The men's match opened with Jon Bernheimer's 15-8, 15-7, 15-12 loss to Alex Dean and Co-Captain Jack Polsky's 15-7, 12-15, 15-11, 15-12 victory over Eli Keith Flavell.

After dropping his first two games, Co-Captain Russ Ball rallied to win the next three games, 15-10, 15-6, 15-12. The senior mixed up corner shots and knicks in outplaying and outclassing his opponent, Cyrus Mehta.

Meanwhile, Jack Colbourne was in the same predicament as his teammate Ball. Tom Clayton, who gave the best imitation of John McEnroe, stormed to win the first two games, 15-10, 15-6.

But Colbourne rallied to tie the match at 2-2. In the fifth game, Clayton jumped out to an early lead, but he couldn't hold on to it, as Colbourne won the game, 15-9. Colbourne's win sealed the victory for the Crimson.

George Polsky dropped a tough, 7-15, 14-18, 15-11, 15-11, 15-10 decision to Yale's number eight, while Harvard's number five player, Jim Masland, had the easiest afternoon of anyone, destoying Erik Wohlgemuth in three games, 15-8, 15-7, 15-12. James Gilfillan captured a 15-17, 15-11, 18-15, 15-3 victory over Tyler Lonergan.

Harvard's number one player, Darius Pandole, dropped his first match of the year. The senior lost a tight, three-game match to John Musto.

Doug Lifford defeated his opponent in five games, 15-3, 13-15, 16-15, 11-15, 18-16to close out the Crimson's victory.

"We played pretty well," Bernheimer said. "Weknew what we had to do and we did it."

Women

It was an unforgettable weekend for theracquetwomen. Not only did they capture the Ivyand national titles for the fourth time in thelast five seasons, but Co-Captain Diana Edgedefeated her long-time rival, Princeton's DemerHolleran.

"I think it was the coaching coupled with avery talented team," Co-Captain Lucy Miller said."It was a good team effort."

"We played as well as we could under thecircumstances," Harvard Coach Steve Piltch said."I'm very pleased with the team's performance. Allof the hard work they've done this season paid offtoday."

After spliting the first two games withHolleran, Edge captured the next two games to winthe match. In the fourth game, Edge fell behind by9-2 and 12-6 scores, but the senior rallied tosend the match into a tiebreaker at 13-13. Withthe tiebreaker tied at 4-4, Edge hit a passingshot that secured her first victory over Holloeranin two years.

"It was a great way to end the year," Edgesaid. "I feel badly for Demer.

Freshman Stephanie Clark was down 2-0 in gamesbefore coming back to tally a 3-2 win overPrinceton's Janie Coleman. Clark used corner shotsand crisp passing shots in beating Coleman.

Hope Nichols, jumping up to the number-threesports after not playing at all in the beginningof the season, recorded a 15-12, 15-11, 15-9victory over Princeton's Ann Sawyer.

The number-two player Harvard player, JennyHolleran, fell to Mary Foulk in four games. DaphneOnderdonk was very impressive in her victory overher opponent.

Co-Captain Lucy Miller destoyed her opponent inthree games, 15-10, 15-11, 15-4, while EmilyKnowlton crushed Alexis Anastos, 15-10, 15-11,15-10