Princeton Dethrones Harvard in Howe; Tigers Win 5-2 to Take National Title

When Harvard swept by six teams last year and returned to Cambridge with the Howe Cup, the most coveted trophy in intercollegiate women's squash, plenty of people thought the Crimson had ushered in a new era.

But Princeton, whose trophy shelves have housed the Cup for nine of its 11 years, took back the Cup, defeating Harvard 5-2 in the final.

Technicalities

The racquet women returned to Harvard not as runners-up, but as the third place finishers, behind Yale. Although Harvard (4-1) did not even meet Yale (they will do so next week in regular season action). Howe Cup rules dictate that second spot go to the team with the second best team score. Both Harvard and Yale, however, completed the tournament 5-1. In that situation the runner-up is that team that takes the most individual matches during the tournament.

Well, here again both Harvard and Yale tallied identical individual records except against Princeton. Harvard scored only two victories, while Yale beat Princeton in three positions. Thus Harvard won 33 matches. Yale 34, and the last year's champs and this year's finalists returned to Cambridge relegated to third in the nation.

Toss Up

The Harvard Princeton final was closer than the 5-2 score indicates--the victory could have gone either way.

Senior Captain Jackie Corrigan lost to Princeton's number two by two points in the fifth game and number four Lili Pew fell 3-2 after taking her first two games. Senior Captain Lisa Harrison defaulted with a 1-0 lead at number three, falling victim to a bum knee Betsy Howe lasted five games in the sixth position before losing.

Corrigan compared the tournament to the squash season. "One disappointment after another." Drane Staley, who played number two last year, has been out all season with knee and shoulder injuries Daura Kaye followed Staley when mononucleosis sidelined her.

The Howe Cup is a seven man contest and when you take two players out of a team's top five that can destroy a team." Corrigan said.

Harvard completed the tournament having given up only nine individual matches against six teams. The Crimson blanked Williams. Middlebury and California in the early rounds and downed both Trinity and Penn 5-2.

The two Harvard points against Princeton were shutouts by number one Mary Hulbert and Josey Iselin at number five.

"Mary was really the star for our team," the injured Harrison recalls, noting Hulbert's sweep over Princeton's Patrice McConnell and her five game duals against the nations top two inter-collegiate squash players Penn's Alicia McConnell. Patrice's sister, and Trinity's Nina Porter.