Netmen's High Hopes Spoiled by Injuries

On paper the Harvard men's tennis team can complete with the elite in NCAA men's tennis. Getting its players off paper and onto the courts, however, proved to be a major difficulty for the Crimson this spring as injuries ate away at looked like a promising season.

Coming into the spring campaign Harvard had proved it could complete successfully on a regional and national level. The Crimson won the fall ECAC Team Championships, soundly defeating four rivals en route to the title, and raised more than a few eyebrows when it defeated fifteenth-ranked Texas Christian and ninth-ranked Louisiana State at the national indoor championships this spring.

While the Crimson my have roared into March, though, it was suddenly hurt by injuries to sophomore Todd Meringoff and junior Umesha Wallooppillai. Those injuries bad the team limping through its spring Break trip and into April's ECAC season.

In the first weekend of ECAC action, the Crimson dropped a 4-3 decision at Columbia's indoor clay courts. Later that week the Crimson also lost Rueb to a knee injury. With an early conference loss as well as a revamped line-up that had players playing up three positions, the Crimson's shot at the ECAC title were fading fast.

Even without three starters the Crimson could usually handle the mediocrity that characterizes many their ECAC rivals. In matches against more talented teams in the conference such as Columbia, Princeton and Yale, however, playing shorthanded put Harvard at a severe disadvantage--often an insurmountable disadvantage.

The Crimson, playing the unusual role of underdog, managed to fend off Princeton in the regular season, beating the Tigers 5-2. The victory saw nearly flawless play by the netters at several singles positions.

While the Crimson stole a win from Princeton, it could not do the same against Yale, bowing to the Elis 4-3.

With two conference losses the Crimson's chances at a league title were nil, as Columbia went on to take first place with a perfect 8-0 record.

The Crimson hoped to avenge its regular season disappointment at the NCAA Region I tournament held at Harvard's Beren Tennis Center May 14-15.

Princeton, the Crimson's first round opponent in the four-team tournament, also had revenge on its mind, however.

Unfortunately, for the netters. They were still without the services of Meringoff, Rueb and Walloppillai, and the fired-up Princeton squad ended the Crimson's season, winning 5-2.

With Burroughs as the only singles player being lost to graduation, the 1994-95 Crimson squad will once again be quite formidable on paper.

But the Crimson will have to wait a summer before it has the chance to erase the empty promise of this spring season.

MEN'S TENNIS

Record: 15-7

Ivy League : 5-3

Key Player: Marshall Burroghs (15-8), Mitty Arnold (22-6), Andrew Rueb (12-3)

Seniors: Marshall Burroughs, Adam Meister