`Spring'-Time for Netwomen

The Harvard women's tennis team is eying its "springboard" title at the Princeton Invitational this weekend in New Jersey.

The team hasn't decided to switch sports and start diving, but the Crimson goes into this weekend's event hoping to bounce back from several disappointing losses and prepare for the Spring season.

The Crimson is 0-3 in team play this season, with losses to Boston University, Syracuse and Pennsylvania.

For the bulk of the season, injuries to several seasoned players have hindered the Crimson's performance as a team.

Senior Erika Elmuts watched from the stands two weeks ago at the Intercollegiate Tennis Assocation Team Tournament in New Haven, and sophomore Agata Passent took time off to nurse a pulled hamstring.

But with a tourney-free weekend under their belts, Elmuts and Passent have both recuperated and are ready to compete.

Individual Competition

This weekend's tournament is an individual contest with no actual team score, but it gives athletes the chance to compete against players from other schools. In addition to Harvard, Princeton will host teams from Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth.

The format of the competition is identical to that of last month's Harvard Invitational, a tourney in which several Crimson players won trophies, including an impressive first-place finish in flight B singles by freshman Kelly Granat.

The eight contenders representing the Crimson this weekend include talented freshman Kate Roiter and Co-Captain Eliza Parker in flight A singles.

Roiter garnered a second place finish in the main draw of flight A during her intercollegiate debut at the Harvard Invitational.

Elmuts and Granat will compete in flight B, and flight C features tenacious senior Rachel Pollock and freshman Erica Cheng.

Junior Mary Park and the previously sidelined Passent round out the Crimson lineup.

All eight players will be competing in one of the two doubles draws as well.

New Combinations

Graham sees this tournament as an opportunity to "try out new singles positions and doubles combinations."

Graham realistically says this Crimson's primary goal is not winning so much as surviving: he needs a healthy group of players for the upcoming Spring season.

Although Co-Captain Melissa McNaab is still sidelined, Graham said that the team is definitely healthier.

"It's nice to have some key players back," Graham said.

But at this weekend's individual tournament, the players have a chance to earn a little personal glory as well.