Raquetmen Cruise, 9-0; New Streak Commences

So the Harvard men's squash isn't immortal any longer. But the squash gods, who were cruel to the team last weekend, still grace Harvard.

Yesterday in Medford, Harvard (4-1 overall, 0-1 Ivy) proved it could bounce back from a crushing loss against Princeton and still hit with almighty force. In fact, the racquetmen proved it nine times, shutting out Tufts, 9-0. The Jumbos have never won an individual match against Harvard.

Sophomore George Polsky, playing at the number-one spot, defeated Trip Navaro, 3-1, to lead the Harvard attack.

"I didn't hold on to the [Princeton] loss," Polsky said. "I just let go and went out there and played. I guess my match wasn't too much of a challenge, though."

But the loss to the Tigers, which ended Harvard's 72-game winning streak, hit each player differently, Polsky said.

Co-Captain Frank Huerta used the memory of the loss to pull out a close win against Josh Lebowitz. Losing the first two games, 17-15 and 15-11, Huerta let his wrath loose, and captured the last three games.

"He crawled his way back in true Tyson-istic style," Polsky said, "and pulled it out."

"Princeton was right there in the back of my mind," said Huerta, who played with an injured shoulder. "I was so mad I was ready to go out there and play with an injury."

The Crimson didn't send its top four varisty players because, well, the Jumbos just aren't the Tigers.

"Tufts isn't as deep a team as we are," Huerta said. "We could have played with a little more intensity. It wasn't much fun because the courts were really slippery. They were really hard to play on."

In any case, Harvard is looking forward to this weekend when it travels to Franklin and Marshall Friday and Penn Saturday.

"It should be very tough," Polsky said. "We beat Penn earlier this season, but then again, we beat Princeton earlier, too."

"It's now our team," Huerta said. "We're starting anew."

After the streak ended last Saturday, the Crimson is still starting anew. Whether it was Tufts luck, or Tufts misfortune, the Crimson is still a tough team.

THE NOTEBOOK: Since 1986, the Crimson has posted a 151-2 record versus non-Ivy teams, including a 71-game winning streak.