W. Tennis Defeats Okla. St.

The back of the Oklahoma State women's tennis team's shirts states in bold red letters, "YOU BETTER WORK..."

In yesterday's match, the Harvard women's tennis team apparently took that message to heart.

The Cowgirls made good on their promise, giving the Crimson everything it could handle. In the end, however, Harvard proved up to the challenge, winning four three-set matches enroute to an abbreviated 5-1 victory at the Palmer Dixon Courts. Okla. St.  1 Harvard  5

The match promised to be close from the start. Oklahoma State is currently ranked No. 47 in the nation, while the Crimson (5-2 overall, 1-0 Ivy) is No. 45. Updated rankings should be available next week.

The match started somewhat slowly for the Harvard. Oklahoma State won at number one doubles, 6-3, 6-4, and appeared poised to take the remaining matches as well, winning the first set of each.

In what was a common occurrence in this match, Harvard stepped up its play when it was on the ropes. The second doubles team--sophomore Gina Majmudar and freshman Mylin Torre--took a tight third-set-tie-breaker en route to a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 win.

Sophomore Rona Mayer and freshman Anna Chai similarly snatched victory from he jaws of defeat in the third doubles match, rebounding for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 triumph.

"We didn't play our best doubles today," coach Gordon Graham said. "It just speaks to how well the team competes and is able to hang tough."

Harvard continued to hang tough in the singles competition.

Freshman Gabriella Hricko at third singles appeared to have all but crushed her opponent, winning the first set 6-2 behind bruising serves and groundstrokes.

As her opponent began to vary the pace in the second set, Hricko had trouble adjusting and lost, 6-3. On the first point of the next set, however, she put away a backhand volley and never looked back, cruising to a 6-2 victory.

Majmudar, who also played first singles, appeared to have her hands full with the Cowgirls' top seed, Kym Hazzard, who Graham called "a very tough player." She lost the first set, 6-2, and appeared visibly frustrated on many points.

After that point, however, Majmudar herself took control of the match, winning the final two sets in dramatic fashion, 7-5, 6-4.

Mayer, after missing the previous two matches due after transferring from Israel, also contributed to the victory with a 6-4, 7-5 win at fifth singles.

The final three singles matches were eliminated, as the Crimson had clinched the match after these wins.

As befits their nickname, the Cowgirls added a bit of spice to the day's activities. Numerous points were contested by both sides, and the umpire was frequently summoned. Two point penalties were assessed for various infractions.

"This was one of the more acrimonious women's tennis matches I've seen," said Graham. "It's not very often you see something like that."

Although Graham admits that the Cowgirls were likely affected by various illnesses and injuries, he says he was "very satisfied" with the win.

He also noted that the Crimson played without junior co-captain Kate Roiter, sidelined with tendinitis of the wrist.

Roiter is expected to return by the team's next match at Florida International on March 12th, the first of nine consecutive away games.

While on the road, the Crimson will face some of the nation's best teams, including 19th-ranked UC-Santa Barbara and 7th-ranked UCLA..