Tennis: A Reversal of Expectations

The Harvard men's and women's tennis teams established one thing this season: pre-season expectations--whether from the programs' harshest critics or their most loyal boosters--are about as worthwhile as Expos.

The men were expected to suffer through what coaches and writers tactfully call "a rebuilding year," possibly finishing fourth or fifth in the East at best. Instead, Harvard rolled through the captition and qualified for the NCAA tournament.

But high preseason expectations for the women sank in a sea of white tape. Multiple injuries sent the Crimson to its worst season in years.

The future is a random business, which is why psychics are not taken seriously by mainstream society.

But 20-20 hindsight...

The Men

Over the summer, the men lost their top five players from the first Harvard team ever to advance beyond the first round on the NCAA tournament. Nobody gave the Crimson a chance to return.

"Everyone called it a rebuilding year," said senior Captain Pete Stovell.

But in October, the Crimson silenced everyone, winning the ECAC Championship and seeing freshman Todd Meringoff, who was voted Rookie of the Year in the ECAC, win the Rolex Invitational.

Then, on its spring break tour in Southern California, Harvard went 2-3 against a slew of national-caliber teams.

And when Harvard came back to its kingdom in the East, it ravaged the region. The Crimson finished the regular season 10-1 overall, 8-1 in the EITA, and earned the region's lone bid to the NCAA Championships in Athens, Georgia.

Although the Crimson fell, 5-3 in the first round to North Carolina, "just getting there gave us a lot of satisfaction," said junior Captain-elect Marshall Burroughs. "No one expected that of us."

"We started off without our top five players, but apparently everyone improved enough to almost put us back to the level we were in last year," sophomore Umesha Wallooppillai said.

Walloopillai competed in the individual doubles draw with sophomore Andrew Rueb at the NCAA tournament, in addition to collecting a 16-4 record at third singles.

Rueb, who lost in the second round of the NCAA singles draw to one of the top-ranked players in the country, was voted the team's MVP and Most Improved player.

"I think we had a season that turned out to be a lot better than anyone expected," Stovell said. "Rueb and Marshall stepped up from six and seven singles to play one and two, and really produced for us."

Although the bulk of the team is made up of sophomores and freshmen, the team faces a loss in leadership as its only senior, Stovell, graduates.

"He's a hard worker, and really got everyone motivated," Burroughs said.

"We're going to miss Stovie next year," said freshman Howard Kim. "He really pulled us together as a team."

The Women

For the women, though, the story is a little more bittersweet.

This squad, with a relatively inexperienced roster, was nevertheless healthy, poised, and optimistic about the season's prospects.

But then, there were the injuries...

An ankle here, an abdominal muscle there, old injuries, new injuries, sprains, strains, pulls--you name it, one of the players had it. And with each affliction came a shift in the line-up.

Three players saw significant time at the first singles positions. Junior Co-Captain Eliza Parker alone played at least three matches in four different singles positions, and competed at each of the three doubles positions at different times with different partners.

This lack of continuity without doubt thwarted any strengths the Crimson wanted to develop through the course of the season.

But Harvard, which finished the year 4-12 overall, 2-5 in the Ivy League, finished the year on an upbeat note with a 7-2 thrashing of Cornell.

"It was a good note to end on," said Head Coach Gordon Graham. "And it was a year where we all grew as a team. Going through a tough season is a real test of character, and I think everyone benefited."

The Crimson is wasting no time in planning for the future, and things couldn't look brighter for the young team. No seniors graced the line-up this spring, and expected for next fall are several key recruits that can only enhance the lineup. Talented rookies from New York, Poland, and a possible transfer from NCAA powerhouse Florida are prospective members for the Crimson next season.

"We've gained a lot of experience this year, and everyone is already thinking about next season," freshman Kelly Granat said. "Hopefully, we won't be plagued with injuries."

"This year, we were missing a little something. Next year, we'll have it," freshman Erica Cheng said, who shared the Alden-Bryan Most Improved award with junior Allegra Fitzgibbons and sophomore Kendra Harris.

"Next year, we'll be right in the