Netmen Head to Navy, Face UWV Tomorrow

The Harvard men's tennis team is taking its show on the road this weekend.

And what a show it's been. The Crimson (11-5 overall, 2-0 EITA) defeated Penn and perennial rival Columbia last weekend in convincing fashion. The team puts its undefeated EITA league record on the line today against Navy (14-7, 1-4) in Annapolis, Md. Tomorrow, the Crimson travels to Morgantown, W.V., to face West Virginia (11-12), which was ranked number-one in the East in the pre-season.

"We're as ready as we could be," Assistant Coach Steve Gerstenfeld said. "Everyone is feeling good about their games, and we're going into the weekend with a good attitude."

While Navy is not as highly regarded as some of the other teams in the league, Harvard is not looking past today's match.

"Upsets can occur when you look down the road at future matches," Gerstenfeld said. "The guys are aware of that, so we're taking it one match at a time."

"I think it's important that no one takes Navy lightly," freshman Michael Zimmerman said.

To get an idea of just how strong and deep the Crimson is this year, in last year's match against West Virginia, Harvard sophomore Jonathan Cardi defeated Paul Mancini in the third-singles position. This year Mancini alternates in the top spot with Joby Foley, while Cardi is playing in the fifth position for Harvard.

A major reason for Harvard's success thus far has been the strong contingent of freshmen currently filling its singles ranks. Since the squad's return from its spring trip to California, Mike Shyjan, who is at the number-three spot, is undefeated in singles play, as are Derek Brown and Albert Chang at four and six, respectively. Chang and Laszlo Serester are also undefeated in the third doubles spot, while Shyjan and Cardi have dropped only one match at number two.

King of Mountain

In addition, junior Roger Berry beat the Mountaineers' Brad Kelly at fourth singles. Kelly and West Virginia's sixth singles player have since left the team to join the professional circuit, leaving the team "noticeably weaker." Berry, who has done nothing but improve over the season, is now playing in the number-two spot for the Crimson.

Zimmerman, currently playing in the top singles position, goes into the weekend off a very impressive win over Columbia's top player, Rob Kresberg--ranked third in the East and 23rd in the country. Zimmerman will be paired with Berry in the top doubles spot.

"It'd be fortunate if we won [against West Virginia] in singles, but I think it's going to come down to doubles," Berry said. "I think our doubles [teams] can win it for us this weekend."

A victory over the Mountaineers would help to keep the Crimson in the running for a bid to the NCAA Championships.

"If we keep playing the way we have been, we should take it all," Shyjan said.