Squash Team Encounters Cornell In First Ivy Contest Here Today

Harvard's varsity squash team is out for revenge this year, and the object of its redirected hostilities will be poor, undeserving Cornell this afternoon at 2 p.m. on the Hemenway courts.

For seven years the Ivy League squash crown was a permanent Cambridge fixture. From 1961 until last spring, Harvard's intercollegiate record for dual matches was 61-1 and no end of the reign was in sight.

But Penn upset Harvard 5-4 for its first victory ever over a Crimson squash team. "I never saw a squad so sky-high following a victory." coach Jack Barnaby recalls. That single loss dropped Harvard to its worst finish in Ivy history-second place.

Barnaby, as usual. has developed another team this year that must be rated one of the finest squads in the country. But this season he is concenrating on eliminating any cocky attitudes with a "Remember the Quakers" approach.

At Home Game

"We get to play Penn at Hemenway this spring, and the whole team is anxious to demonstrate our superiority," Barnaby said. "Two years ago we easily beat them, 7-2, here, and I hope we'll do that again."

Fritz Hobbs, starting at number two for Harvard, will leave the team before the Penn match. Hobbs, a member of last year's Olympic crew, will graduate in January. Barnaby is counting on the return of Bruce Weigand, presently away from school, next term to assist Harvard to its tenth Ivy title in 14 years.

Unfortunately for Cornell, the Big Red is first on the Crimson revenge program. Cornell has never beaten Harvard and has not won an Ivy league match in three years.

The Big Red's prospects this season are no better. Most of the starting team has graduated. and Cornell has lost its only match of the season, 5-0, to Western Ontario.

In contrast, Harvard opened its year with an easy 9-0 romp over Amherst last Wednesday. "Cornell is quite a weak team, probably not as good as Amherst." coach Barnaby said. "They have a dearth of experienced players, and we have the home court advantage."

"This will be a year of rebuilding the team." Cornell coach Ed Moylan said "With six starters gone, the whole nucleus has been depleted: we're starting from scratch with a very raw team. We're out to gain as much experience as we're able to get." Maylan added.