Racquetwomen Open Season in NYC; Harvard Sends Eight to Tournament

The Harvard women's squash team traveled to New York City this weekend to play in its first tournament of the season. Facing top-notch women squash players from across the country, the Crimson made a positive showing and gained experience in preparation for the 1986-'87 campaign.

Harvard entered more players in the Open and A divisions than did other collegiate rivals. Crimson racquetwomen Ingrid Boyum and Diana Edge played top-seeded national players in the open division, while Jenny Holleran, Lucy Miller and Mariana Chilton participated in Division A.

Boyum and Edge were knocked out in the second round of action Saturday, as were all the collegiate competitors in the top division. Entering as unseeded participants, Co-Captains Boyum and Edge both had unlucky draws. Boyum played top-ranked Alicia McConnell and Edge played third-ranked Nina Porter in second-round action.

Edge, who has a good shot to place first at March's NCAA championships, said, "In some respects I was pleased because I pushed her [Porter] to five games."

Edge noted that most of the other open division competitors had already played in tournaments this year. "We were more tentative on the court," she said. "It takes a few tough matches to sharpen up."

Elsewhere on the courts of The Park Avenue and The Princeton Squash clubs, the Crimson demonstrated the strength of its ladder. "The fact that we had more participants [eight] than any other school," Holleran said, "shows our high level of depth and commitment."

Boyum, Edge and Holleran will be three of the eight players competing Thursday in the qualifiers for the Boston Open. In this qualifying match, eight players were invited to try for the remaining two spots in the Open, which will feature the top eight women squash players in the country.