Radcliffe Track Annihilates UNH

These gals came on like gangbusters," Radcliffe track and field coach Pappy Hunt said Sunday, describing the team's performance in this, their second season of competition. Appropriately, the 'Cliffe runners saved the biggest bust for last, destroying the University of New Hampshire, 92-26, in their season finale held Friday in Harvard Stadium.

The victory lifted the squad's spring season record to 4-2, including wins in two tri-meets. Last year the team went 1-4.

Doing Damage

Against UNH, the 'Cliffe runners inflicted most of the damage in the running events, winning seven of nine races, including both relays, and outscoring New Hampshire, 59-14, on the track.

Sarah Linsley continued her winning ways in the mile, crossing the finish line in 5:28.5. Margot Kessler and Anne Jones took second and third, giving Radcliffe a sweep.

The 'Cliffe also swept the two mile. Karla Amble, normally a half-miler, won with a quick time of 12:12.6, while Judy Rabinowitz and Kessler followed.

UNH did not enter anyone in the 880-yard run, so Sarah Robinson, Debbie Hess and Joan Hart had an easy time of it. Robinson won with a slow 2:41.8.

Pat Gopaul finished the season appropriately, sprinting to victory in the 100 and 220-yard dashes. Gopaul lost only two races all year, and turned out to be the team's leading point scorer.

UNH's only victories on the track came in the 100-meter hurdles and 440-yard dash. New Hampshire's entry in the latter event set a new stadium record for women with a time of 16.5 seconds.

The 'Cliffe triumphed in both relays, as the 440-yard contingent "won a squeaker," according to Hunt, and UNH did not enter a mile relay foursome.

Radcliffe performed almost as well in the field events as they did on the track, piling up a 33-12 advantage in the field.

Betsy Adams set a new University record for women while winning the discus with a toss of 98'5 1/2". Lisa Burius and Wendy Carle garnered second and third place points for Radcliffe.

In the javelin, Debbie Vogel led a 'Cliffe sweep, followed by Carle and Kat Taylor. Vogel also won the shot put, as she has consistently done all spring. "She's been our big gun in that event all season," Hunt said.

Kathy Rice won her fifth consecutive long jump competition on Friday, and thus closed out the season undefeated in that event.

Hunt said he was "extremely satisfied" with the team's performance this year. He attributed the squad's improvement--a new University record for women in every event but the high jump--to two factors: "Number one, this year we had some talent, and number two, this year I had [Blayne Heckel] to take care of the field events."

Running Events

Heckel's assistance was especially important, Hunt explained, because it allowed him to devote more time to the running events.

Hunt is looking toward the long-term future in terms of a program at Harvard. The high school women's track programs around the country have been improving for several years, he said, and the colleges are just beginning to reap the benefits.

As for a future direction in the squad's schedule, the coach anticipates gradual improvement. "Right now I'd like to concentrate on a solid dual or tri-meet schedule, and when this team solidifies, we can start looking to big meets," he said.

The Harvard varsity lights collected shirts number five and six at Princeton on Sunday as they took their fourth meet of the season. Princeton and Yale were the Crimson's victims.

The first freshman eight was the only Harvard crew not to finish first in Sunday's racing on Lake Carnegie.

The varsity shell showed a "reasonable spring," according to Coach John Higginson, countering a late Princeton surge and stretching the margin of victory to four seats. The times were: 6:05.5, Harvard: 6:07.5, Princeton; and 6:08.8, Yale.

Higginson said yesterday, "I couldn't see any bad luck among the other crews and Princeton is an excellent boat." In short, "We were delighted."

The season has turned around since the lights nipped Dartmouth (above) thanks only to a Big Green crab, just two weeks ago. The season has now gone according to the script, setting up a long awaited confrontation between Penn and Harvard at next Sunday's Eastern Sprints.