Netmen Drive Past Princeton

After having blown away most of its Eastern Intercollegiate Tennis Association (EITA) competition this season by the more than lopsided score of 9-0, it could be said that the Harvard men's tennis team hasn't really experienced the thrills of a down-to-the-wire, hard-fought, breath-taking victory. (You know, just think of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey Team).

But that was before the Princeton Tigers clawed their way into town.

After the more than five hour match had ended, the Crimson--which had been down 4-1 in singles competition--managed to turn the tables on Princeton by sweeping all three doubles matches to earn a rewarding come-from behind, 5-4, victory.

The win over Princeton--generally recognized to have been Harvard's toughest opposition this season--puts Harvard at 6-0 in EITA competition, 11-5 overall. The win virtually assures Harvard of its second straight EITA title and a berth in the NCAA nationals.

The ominous and foreboding clouds which hovered over the Harvard Outdoor Tennis Center seemed to reflect the dimming hopes of a Crimson victory. Junior captain Adam Beren, junior Warren Grossman, senior Alex Seaver and sophomore Rob Loud--Harvard's second-, third-, fourth- and sixth- seeded players--all bowed to their Tiger opponents in straight sets.

For a while it even looked as if All-American Howard Sands was going to become Harvard's fifth casualty in the singles competition. After quickly falling behind Princeton's Ted Farnsworth, who had excellent ball placement and resembled a backboard when he returned his shots. Sands rebounded to nip Farnsworth in the first set, 7-5, and to manhandle him in the second, 6-1.

Enter freshman phenom Dave Beckman. And the sun.

After Sand's victory, the crowd of more than 60--knowing that for Harvard to stay in contention, the fifth-seeded Beckman must win--flocked to watch him struggle with Princeton freshman Chris Robertson.

Down one set, the 6-ft., 5-in. Beckman used his strength to overpower Robertson's shots with awe-inspiring rallying and overhead smashes, and posted a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win.

After the match, Beckman said that he did not know that the entire Harvard effort was resting on his shoulders: "I knew that we were down and that something was wrong, but I had no idea that it was as had as 4-1."

Still, Harvard found itself down 4-2 and in order to beat Princeton--the Ivy League's former dynasty team--it had to take all three matches from the Tigers.

And that they did.

Harvard's second-ranked Grossman-Loud doubles combination had the most to overcome entering the match as it took on Princeton's first and second-seeded players. Farnsworth and Mike Bodden respectively. But the Grossman-Loud duo played a great game at the net--displaying some rapid-fire volleys--to earn a straight set victory 6-2, 6-4.

The number-one, Sands-Beren doubles duo and the combination of Beckman-Wheeler each needed only two sets to topple Princeton's Talbot Davis-Steve Feinberg and Robertson-Ken Katz, respectively.

After the match, Harvard Coach Dave Fish said. "These guys were on fire--during doubles. I've never had a team that has come back from 4-1 to win. I've never seen anything like that."

TENNIS SCORING BOX

Harvard 5, Princeton 4

Singles--1. Howard Sands (H) d. Ted Farnsworth, 7-5, 6-1, 2. Mike Bodden (Pr.) d. Adam Beren, 6-2, 6-2, 3. Talbot Davis (Pr.) d. Warren Grossman, 6-3, 6-4, 4. Ken Katz (Pr.) d. Alex Seaver, 6-4, 6-2, 5. Dave Beckman (H) d. Chris Robertson, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6. Steve Feinberg (Pr.) d. Robert Wheeler, 6-4, 6-0.

Doubles--1. Sands-Beren (H) d. Davis-Feinberrg, 7-5, 6-4, 2. Grossman-Loud (H) d. Farnsworth-Bodden. 6-2, 6-4, 3. Beckman-Wheeler (H) d. Katz-Robertson, 7-5, 6-4.