Netmen Blank Bruins, Elis

It is impressive to win every game in a match.

Prior to last weekend, the Harvard men's tennis team (13-5 overall, 6-0 EITA, 4-0 Ivy) had managed this feat only twice, blanking Penn, 6-0 and Columbia 9-0.

The Crimson set a new standard last weekend. Harvard steamrolled Brown, 6-0, on Friday, then embarrassed Yale, 15-0, the following afternoon in front of a full capacity crowd at Beren Tennis Center.

The 13th-ranked Crimson, unbeaten since a disappointing spring break loss to Long Beach State, has now won 50 games out of possible 54 in its last six matches. This is easily one of the most remarkable accomplishments of the year in the NCAAs, and it certainly bolsters the credibility of Harvard's high ranking.

"Everything happened so fast against Brown and Yale," Harvard's doubles player Jonathan Cardi said. "The match was over before some of us had warmed up."

Only the Crimson's Albert Chang needed three sets to notch a win against Brown. The 22nd-ranked Chang had to fill the number one singles spot void in order to rest Mike Zimmerman. The other five singles players--juniors John Tolmie, Shyjan and Derek Brown, and freshmen Ian Williams and Marshall Burroughs--won in straight sets despite the fact that they were bumped up one slot by Zimmerman's absence.

When Zimmerman returned to the lineup on Saturday, Yale's number-one Rich Theobold looked as though he might pull off a major upset. Zimmerman could not find his rhythm, and it appeared as though he would not overcome a sluggish performance in the first set.

"The crowd really helped me," Zimmerman said. "When I lost the first set, I was a little dejected, but the crowd wouldn't let me stay that way. It was great to have the support."

After dropping the first set, 6-4, Zimmerman rallied to defeat Theobald, 6-3, 6-4. Zimmerman's victory was one of Harvard's 15 over the Elis, all in singles competition. Normally, only six singles and three doubles games are played in a match. Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, however, compete annually for the HYP Cup, which includes both the "A" and "B" teams from each squad. Harvard's 15-0 domination of Yale marks the first time in recent HYP Cup history that a team has been swept.

It is also likely that several of the Crimson's players, including Zimmerman, will compete in the NCAA tournament even if Harvard does not as a team. Harvard still must defeat Dartmouth, Cornell, Army and Princeton to guarantee itself a spot in the team tournament. But, the doubles tandem of Shyjan and Zimmerman has already clinched one of two Eastern Region berths.

Additionally, four singles players will represent the Eastern Region as well, and Harvard's Chang, Shyjan and Zimmerman are all strong candidates for the four slots. If all goes well, the Crimson will be one of the only squads nationally to send three singles competitors in addition to a team.