Texas Takes Title at Harvard Tourney; Crimson Netwomen Finish Third

The University of Texas women's tennis team proved over the weekend why it's one of the nation's top five squads, easily snagging the team title at the Harvard Women's Invitational Tennis Tournament at the Beren Tennis Center.

The Longhorns racked up 130 points, outdistancing second place Crimson (80 points) and third place Harvard (64).

The Texans had not one long star; instead they relied on their depth to secure the three-day weekend tournament, which marked the first time that the nation's top teams were attracted East to compete against Harvard.

Indeed the Longhorns' two phenoms, world-ranked Beverly Bowes and Anne Grousbeck, seeded one-two in the A flight singles competition, failed to make it beyond the semifinal round.

Third-seeded Rollins sophomore Mary Dineen handily defeated Bowes, 6-2, 6-1 on Saturday while Nicole Stafford of Clemson just as easily dismissed Grousbeck, 6-3, 6-1.

The Harvard crowd supported Dineen in the Sunday final against Stafford. Her brother John is Harvard's assistant coach and brother Peter is captain of Harvard's men's squash team. Yet the hometown cheers weren't enough as Stafford squeaked by Dineen, 7-6, 2-6, 6-3.

Sunday's excitement climaxed in the B flight championship match. Texas' Michelle Currier, seeded fourth, met Clemson's Melissa Seigler, an experienced veteran, seeded second. Three hours and 15 minutes later when the clay had settled. Seigler grasped the victory, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6. She had managed to come back from a 5-1 deficit in the seven-point third set tie breaker to overcome her freshman opponent.

To reach the B finals Carrier defeated top seed Kathy Vigna of Harvard in the semifinal round, 6-7, 6-4, 6-1 on Saturday. Vigna won her first match, 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 over Pam Menne of Clemson the day before.

The other Harvard netwomen also chalked up victories. Robin Boss and Erika Smith, Harvards top two players both won their first matches only to lose in the quarter-finals. Dineen defeated Smith, 6-0, 6-3 while Stafford headed off a tough challenge from Boss, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

In A flight doubles competition Harvard lost in the finals to a powerful top-seeded Texas team, 7-5, 6-3. To get there the team of Boss-Vigna knocked off the second seed Clemson team on Saturday, 5-7, 7-5, 7-5.

It wasn't all roses for Harvard. The B doubles team of Courtney Crockett and Smith were forced to default their semifinal round on Saturday. Smith had injured her back in her singles match that day.

Coach Donald Usher expects her to be out for Tuesday's match against Boston College but anticipates that she will return to the lineup soon.

Despite Smith's injury. Usher was pleased with his squad's play.

"This is about what we expected, although I would have liked to have finished second," said Usher. Overall he thought the tournament was a good experience.

"We got a lot of good matches in against good competition."

Usher was particularly encouraged by the play of doubles team Cyndy Austrian and Roberta Hing. Despite never having played together before, the pair reached the C flight finals.

In addition Austrian, a freshman and the team's number-four singles player, won her first match in the B singles competion and dropped an excrutiating three-hour and 20-minute consolation final to Elizabeth Alexander of North Carolina.

"It gives the kids an ideas of where they are and if they want to get a lot better what skills they need to improve," said Usher of the off-season tourney.

He also said that his team has great potential and should be able to defend their Ivy crown.

"We're a very young team and a very talented team," said Coach Jeff Moore of Texas.

Moore was extremely pleased with the tournament and his team's performance. "I hope we're invited back," said Moore.

"We had a great time."