Weekend Round-up: Four

The Harvard women's tennis team settled for a first-place tie with Tufts in the Greater Boston tournament this weekend at Harvard's indoor track and tennis facility.

The Crimson reached the finals in all five singles categories, and also the first of the two doubles categories. Three Harvard racquetwomen chalked up straight-set victories in their singles finals--Betsy Richmond at number one, Martha Roberts at two, and Kristen Mertz at five.

Richmond lost only five games in the two rounds preceding the finals, where she defeated B.U.'s Diedre O'Halleran, a 1977 finalist in the New England Intercollegiates, 6-4, 6-1.

"I was most impressed with the play of freshman Betsy Richmond. I've never coached anyone who thinks as much as she does," coach Peter Felske said Sunday.

Roberts, last year's number-one player, struggled to reach the finals, barely edging out her second-round opponent, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. She had no difficulty disposing of Tufts' Laura Weissman, 6-3, 6-3, in the final.

"I was crunching everything and really playing well," Roberts said after her last match.

Freshman Kristen Mertz beat B.U.'s Jill Johnson, 6-2, 6-2, and now boasts an undefeated college record (at 1-0).

Meg Meyer, at third singles, and Abby Meiselman, at four, both lost close matches in the finals to opponents from Tufts. Meyer fell to aggresive, hard-hitting Jumbo Laurie Gallagher, 6-4, 6-3.

Meiselman, a freshman, also lost a straight-setter, falling to Wendy Shahon, 4-and-4.

Harvard's doubles did not fare as well as the singles as both teams took their opponents to three sets before losing in tiebreakers.

Harvard's firts doubles team of Katie Ditzler and Leslie Miller lost 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 in the finals to Nancy Robison and Emily McMahon from Tufts, coming up on the short end of a 5-3 tiebreaker.

Sally Roberts and Terry Clarke, at number two doubles, dropped a three setter in the second round to Jumbos Beth Hochuser and Madeline Schwartz. The Tufts tandem snatched a 5-2 tiebreaker after splitting the first two sets 2-6 and 6-1 to knock out the Harvard squad before going on to win the finals.

Felske said Sunday he "was surprised with the outcome of the doubles matches," adding, "I will definitely change the doubles teams that played today."

There was a difference in this year's play because of the new and improved surface of the ITT courts. The surface slowed down the play, making for more rallies and longer points.

Boston University finished third, followed by Boston College, MIT, and Northeastern. Brandeis was not present because the Judges felt they were not strong enough to compete on such a high level.

Although Harvard won the tournament last year and only tied this year, Felske believes that the "team is stronger this year." This belief will be tested Saturday, October 14, when Harvard defends its crown in the Massachusetts State Championships at Wellesley.