Team Excellence

Something inspirational occurred on the courts of Palmer Dixon this week when the Harvard women's tennis team faced Boston College.

Women's Tennis

1986 record: 10-6

1987 record to date: 8-6

(five Ivy games remaining)

Even though the netwomen had already secured a victory by winning six of the first eight matches, the team still remained to cheer on freshman teammate Christina Dragomirescu in the final match of the day. Forget about the five hours of tennis already elapsed. The rest of the squad wanted to stay.

"I was really glad," Dragomirescu said. "When I realized I was going to split sets, I told them to go but they said, 'No, we're a team."

Dragomirescu, a native of Romania, would eventually come hack to win her match match and cap off an impressive Harvard win. The victory evened the netwomen's record to 6-6. Five of those losses, however, came against Western tennis powerhouses such as Stanford and Berkeley.

"The team is one of the most unified teams," said first-year Head Coach Ed Krass, "that I have ever coached. They enjoy being around each other and are willing to make a good team effort."

At least one thing is true. The Crimson is the team to beat in the Ivy League. Over the past four years, the netwomen have captured four consecutive Ancient Eight titles. During that same span, they have posted an unequaled Ivy record of 24-1 (45-21 overall).

Three-time All-Ivy Kathy Vigna and Captain Robin Boss will play out their final seasons as the top two single players for the Crimson. Kristin Bland, Cyndy Austrian, Dragomirescu and Kathy Mulvehal round out the other four singles spots.

"We have a lot of depth, just like last year," Mulvehal said.

Last season, the Crimson posted its third consecutive unbeaten Ivy League mark but lost to Stanford in the first round of the NCAA Championship.

But the loss of freshman sensation Cindy Buschbaum could prove even greater. Buchsbaum, who received All-Ivy honors for the Crimson, transfered to Stanford at the end of her freshman year.

As for doubles, the duo of Boss and Bland will hold the number one slot for the Crimson. The pair managed to win three matches against stiff competition during the team's annual Spring Break trip to California. Vigna and Austrian, along with Mulvehal and Dragomirescu, from the other two doubles teams.

"The doubles have changed," Krass said. "We're going to be relying on [our doubles play] to win some matches."

Although the success of past Crimson teams can't hurt the confidence of this year's squad, the netwomen are not yet ready to make predictions.

"The change is seen in other schools," Mulvehal said. "The competition is getting tougher."

Among the Ivies, Krass said that he expects Princeton and Yale to challenge the Crimson's hopes to repeat.

"We're going to respect everybody one at a time," Krass said.

That attitude just might add another Ivy title and earn Harvard another trip to the NCAA's.