Netmen Go on a Lion Hunt, Patterson Wins Three Events

The Harvard men's tennis team has reached the point in its season where, "every team member will count," according to Coach Dave Fish. With one of the season's most important matches coming up this weekend against Yale, two of the Crimson's six top players--Captain Adam Beren and Rob Loud--are out of the singles ranks, and Fish has had to shift his lineup.

Beren recently lost 15 pounds and has become unhealthy as a result. His last singles match was two weeks ago against Navy. He has been playing with third seed Dave Beckman in doubles and the pair has handled their competition quite easily.

"We don't really have anyone who can replace Adam in the second doubles spot," Fish said. "And we could use him back in the singles lineup." Loud and his partner Warren Grossman had to default their match Friday against Penn, when Loud's shoulder began paining him. The injury runs from his forearm to the elbow and through the shoulder and there's no set recovery date.

So, the team's 9-0 victory over Columbia Saturday afternoon at the Palmer Dixon courts was a strong indication of the squad's depth Sy Fountaine and Ken Kleinfield, who usually switch in the seventh and eighth spots for the Crimson (matches that don't count in the score), moved into the fifth and sixth spots. Fountaine also played third doubles in Loud's place.

Against Columbia's Paul Saputo, Klein-feld clinched two tie-breaker sets to take the match 7-6, 7-6. "Kenny was playing with an injury [to his foot], so I was really glad to see him win that match," Fish said. "He played well when he needed to."

Fountaine played a singles match that he controlled throughout. His opponent Art Martella served inconsistently and couldn't sustain a rally. Fountaine forced play action at the net with Fountaine coming out on top 6-1, 6-2. "I played better today than against any team we've played this year," Fountaine said. "He did very little to upset my game."

In doubles, Fountaine and Grossman were both ruthless at the net, and Columbia's Saputo and second seed Gary Jacobs had trouble getting any shots past them. When they did, Fountaine's powerful backcourt drives kept them moving. Harvard took the match 6-0, 6-2.

Beren and Beckman finished off Lions Martella and Neil Handelsman in a half-hour, 6-0, 6-2, leaving teammates Howard Sands and Larry Scott to play for another hour.

The number one doubles pair had playa nearly two and a half hours the day before against Penn and won in three sets. The match against Columbia was a test of stamina and physical conditioning.

"Even though they were a little flat today, most likely because of yesterday's match, they are doing fine as a pair," Fish said. "It's good for them to know they can raise their play level that way," Fish added. "I think we can be a very strong pair, but we still have a lot to work on," Sands said.

Columbia Coach Bid Goswami said that his first doubles pair hadn't lost a match all season, and beat Yale's first pair recently. "They played a good match," Goswami said. "We were just beaten by a superior team."

Fish feels the team's general play will continue to improve "if they keep in mind what [second seed] Warren Grossman said. If we keep understanding that we're not that good, we'll be good."

Harvard S. Columbia

I Howard Sands (H) d Evan Ratner 6-3, 6-3, 2 Warren Grossman (H) d Gary Jacobs 6-2, 6-4, 3 Dave Backman (H) d Masao inouye 6-4, 6-2, 4 Larry Scott (H) d NentHandelsinan 6-3, 6-2, 5 Kenkleinfeld (H) d Paul Saputo 7-6, 7-6, 6 St. Fountaina (H) d Art Martella 6-1, 6-2.

I Sands-Scott (H) d Ratner-Inouye 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. 2. Benan-Beckman (H) d Handelsman-Manells 6-0, 6-2, 3 Grossman Fountaine (H) d Jacobs-Saeio 6-2, 6-0.