N.Y. Stories: Netmen Stop Cadets, Big Red

The Harvard men's tennis team traveled to upstate New York this weekend, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.

The Crimson decimated Army, 5-1, in West Point Friday. Harvard next journeyed to Ithaca, N.Y., where it blanked Cornell Saturday, 6-0 to keep intact its unblemished league record.

"Our general feeling was that Army and Cornell were matches we had to win," freshman Albert Chang said. "There was no excuse for losing."

In the number-one position, freshman Michael Zimmerman prevailed against Army, 6-4, 6-2.

Freshman Derek Brown faltered in the first set but triumphed, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, at third singles to clinch the match for the Crimson. His victory prevented Harvard (17-6 overall, 8-0 EITA) from having to depend on the doubles matches to decide the outcome, a situation it's been in often lately.

"I started out slowly because I was just not quite as match-tough as I should have been," Brown said.

Change breezed through his match, 6-3, 6-3, at the number-four singles spot. Freshman Mike Shyjan and sophomore Ravi Kumar also took their matches at second and fifth singles, respectively. Sophomore Leon Palandjian dropped his match at number-six singles.

The doubles matches weren't necessary--the Crimson had already clinched the victory.

"I think everyone wanted to make sure they won their singles matches so we wouldn't have to play doubles," Chang said. "It was a definite incentive."

Road Warriors

After the match, the Crimson faced its second four-hour drive of the day, but the travel-weary squad made short work of the Big Red Saturday.

Zimmerman knocked out his Cornell opponent quickly, winning 6-3, 6-2, and Chang cruised as well, 6-2, 6-4.

Brown again struggled in the first set but dominated the next two to triumph, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. After dropping his first set, freshman John Tolmie cruised through the second-set tiebreaker to defeat Cornell, 1-6, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3, at sixth singles.

Several members of the Crimson' regular top six--including junior Roger Berry, sophomore Jonathan Cardi, and junior Robi Soni--did not make the trip because of injuries and fatigue.

"The team played pretty well," Tolmie said. "We did a good job of staying focused for these matches."

The Crimson faces the last obstacle in its quest for an undefeated league season when it travels to Princeton Wednesday to take on the Tigers, last year's EITA Champions.