Syracuse Downs Netwomen at Yale

Ever get the feeling you're cursed?

The Harvard women's tennis team does.

Just weeks into its fall season, the Crimson has been bombarded with nothing but bad luck.

It looked like just a cruel coincidence when three of Harvard's top players--Erika Elmuts, Agata Passent and Co-Captain Melissa McNabb--suffered injuries almost simultaneously.

It began to look a little more fishy when freshman Kate Roiter missed several days of practice due to a muscle pull recently.

But when it drew top-seeded Syracuse in the first round of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Tournament this weekend at Yale, Harvard knew that the tennis gods were working against the team.

Despite being apparently doomed by fates, Harvard played admirably in a 6-3 loss to the Orangewomen, one of the strongest teams in the East Region.

Harvard sophomore Kendra Harris and senior Rachel Pollock were victorious in their singles matches and the doubles team of Harris and freshman Kelly Granat grabbed a win at second doubles.

"Considering we weren't going in with our entire line-up, we did well," Pollock said. "Our performance showed that we do have potential, and we have a good outlook for the spring."

Harvard Coach Gordon Graham was not completely disheartened by the loss.

"Of course, you're never happy when you lose, but we had a pretty good showing against them," Graham said.

In the consolation round, Harvard loss a 5-4 decision to Ivy rival Pennsylvania.

"We just couldn't quite put them away," Graham said of the loss to the Quakers.

Junior Eliza Parker won a grueling, three-set ordeal in the consolation round Penn's Barrie Berstein at first singles.

Notable performances by second and third doubles also highlighted the Penn match.

Roiter and Granat defeated their opponents in three sets, while Harris and freshman Erica Cheng "played the best doubles I'd ever seen them play," said Graham.

Although the Crimson failed to collect a team win this weekend, Graham knows that its the spring schedule that really matters.

"We're pleased with the potential for spring," he said. "And we're ready to get healthy and take the Ivy Cham-