Harvard Netsters Bully Yale by Twin 6-3 Counts

The Harvard men's tennis team defeated Yale, 6-3, yesterday afternoon in New Haven, Conn., in a match that was decided early on when the Crimson took five of the first six matches played.

However, the individual contests were very competitive, with four of the nine matches going the full three sets.

"Even the two-set matches were close," Crimson Co-Captain Larry Scott said. "We were not at the top of our game. We're competing well, but we're not blowing through teams."

Scott, playing first singles, dropped a close first set before coming on to defeat Bill Benjes, 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.

At second singles, the Crimson's Bill Stanley was pushed to three sets by Shane Reed. Stanley lost a few match-point opportunities early in the third set before prevailing 6-3, 4-6, 7-5.

Harvard had an easier time in its third and fourth singles matches. Peter Palandjian knocked off the Bulldog's Doug Robson, 7-5, 6-0, at number three while Arkie Engle defeated Andy Thurstone, 7-5, 6-0 in their fourth-singles contest.

Yale took its lone singles victory when Bill Sibold defeated Harvard's Paul Palandjian, 7-5, 6-0.

Darryl Laddin played at number six--two spots down from his usual fourth singles position--for the second consecutive match, and he prevailed over the Eli's Todd Khoury, 6-2, 7-5.

In a surprising upset, Scott and Engle, currently the ninth-ranked collegiate doubles team in the nation, fell to Benjes and Thurston, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. In losing its first Ivy doubles match ever, the duo relaxed a bit because the team match had already been decided during the singles competition.

"We went out a little flat," said Scott. "Then the other team started picking up steam."

At second doubles, Stanley and Paul Palandjian won in straight sets, 6-3, 7-6.

Freshman Hank Parichabutr moved up from his usual JV status to combine with Peter Palandjian at third doubles, Robson and John Kim spoiled Parichabutr's Ivy debut in a close three-set match.

The Crimson (12-6 overall, 4-0 Ivy) faces a much improved Brown team today in Providence. The Bruins feature several freshmen who have already proved themselves in collegiate competition. One of them, Tim Donovan, won the ECAC A-flight singles championship this past fall over a field which included Scott and Stanley. Harvard is nevertheless confident.

"They're strong up and down their lineup," Scott said. "They should be a test for us, but I don't think they're a threat to beat us."

THE NOTEBOOK: Trivia question: Can you name the two former Ivy Leaguers who are currently ranked among the top 100 male professional tennis players in the world? (Answer below) Professional rankings are determined by a computer which grinds results from tournaments through a fairly involved mathematical formula. Criteria include the size and importance of tournaments played, the ability of one's opponent, and the number of tournaments one has played in a given period of time. Scott and Peter Palandjian played some smaller pro events (called "satellites") in the Midwest this past summer. As a result, Scott is currently ranked 488th in the world; Palandjian is ranked 763rd. In addition, Scott is ranked in the 500's for his doubles play while Engle is in the doubles 700's.

Answer: Yalies Martin Wostenholme and Glenn Layen-decker.