Thinclads Get Split

Like all good hosts, the Harvard women's track team fed its opponents a meal Saturday at Gordon Indoor Track. Unfortunately for the Northeastern Huskies, all they got to eat was a large helping of dust. The Crimson women soundly defeated Northeastern, 82-31, and raised their record to 2-0.

The Harvard men (1-1) were even more hospitable than their female counterparts. Not only did they provide Northeastern with some tough competition, they gave the Huskies a big win as well in a 74.5-70.5 decision.

The Women

Harvard's early success in the field events was key to the resounding win. Freshman Christine Roberge won the long jump with a record-breaking mark of 19-ft., 1/2 in., and then went on to win the high jump with a 5-ft., 2-in leap.

In the triple jump, freshman Rita Raju jumped 34-ft., 10-in. to win the event. Another freshman, Cathy Griffin, threw her personal best, 43-ft., 2 1/2 in., to capture the shot put.

"We expected Northeastern to be a lot tougher than they were," Raju said.

"Given what I expected to be the competition, it's not nearly as big as the men's meet," Harvard Coach Frank Haggerty said. "We won by quite a bit. Next week's meet against Army will be a lot more competitive."

In the track events, junior Meredith Rainey shone, winning both the 200-meter run in 25.5 seconds and the 400-meter run in 57.01.

"I'm optimistic in terms of people feeling good about what they're doing," Haggerty said. "Both teams are much stronger mentally than last year."

The Men

Even after some dazzling performances by freshman Derek Horner, who won three events--the long jump (22-ft., 11 1/4 in.), the 55-meter dash (6.50 seconds), and the 200-meter dash (22.50 seconds)--senior Brian Cann, winner of the 3000-meter run in 8:37.29 and sophomore Eric Rahe, who won the 800-meter with a personal best of 1:52.27, the Crimson still could not break away from Northeastern.

"This is the biggest meet of their season. They come here and really want to run this meet," Horner said.

After an exciting mile-relay victory, run in 3:20.64 by Horner, John Rowe, Gino Patrizio, and John Mee, Harvard led 70.5 to 69.5, and the meet came down to the final race, the men's two-mile relay.

Senior Nick Arena put the Crimson in good position by winning the first leg, but by the fourth leg, Northeastern had widened a huge gap that Harvard's Rahe just couldn't close. The Huskies won the race in 7:49 and gave the Huskies the five points needed to win the meet.

"I figured we'd have to win both relays [the one-mile and the two-mile] to win the meet. I almost exactly predicted the score," Haggerty said. "I'm pleased with the effort. I didn't want people to worry about times and distances, I just wanted them to be competitive. Losing like that sometimes clouds the fact that they did well."

THE NOTEBOOK: The Harvard track teams next see action this: weekend. Both teams will face Army in Saturday meets at home.