NCAA Tourney Seedings Good News for Netmen

The preparation is over. it's time for some action.

NCAA action.

The Harvard men's tennis team heads down to Athens, Georgia next week to compete in the 1992 NCAA Division I Men's Tennis Championships.

The Crimson (16-6 overall, 9-0 EITA) will face Drake University (19-9 overall) in the first round.

This is Drake's first trip to the NCAA's. (Just in case you're wondering, Drake is in Des Moines, Iowa.)

Harvard is currently ranked 18th in the nation by the Intercollegiate Coaches Association (ITCA) poll. the Bulldogs are unranked.

"This is a great opportunity for us to win and move up," Harvard senior Derek Brown. "After the last few years, we're very happy to get a relatively easy first round match."

The Crimson has history of stumbling early in the tournament. the team has reached the NCAA's seven times in the last eleven years, but has yet to advance past the first round.

"It's going to take a lot of concentration for us to win," Harvard Coach Dave Fish said. "Because of our exam schedule, other schools get there long before us, and they have a real chance to get used to the heat."

But Fish went on to add that past disappointments would make his players more determined to do well in the tournament.

Freshman Andrew Rueb expressed the sense of urgency which is gripping the team in anticipation of the tournament.

"Playing well against Drake is not a choice," Rueb said. "We can't say we'll get better and try again later. This is it--we have to beat them now."

Drake's challenge will be spearheaded by senior Donny Isaak and junior Martin Dionne, both ranked in the top 100 nationally.

Isaak reached the semifinals in the NCAA individual tournament last year. En route , he defeated Harvard's Albert Chang in straight sets.

A shoulder injury has prevented Isaak from playing at his best this year, but he should be at full strenght four the tournament.

Victory a Viable Goal

However, although team members expressed respect for Drake, the general feeling seemed to be that a firstround victory is quite attainable, if not assured.

"Our real advantage is our depth," Harvard Assistant Coach Greg Russell said. "Their top two players are very good, but their line-up tapers off quickly in strength. All our players are very competitive."

Both Drake and Harvard qualified for the NCAA tournament by virtue of first-place finishes in their respective regions. The Crimson clinched the eastern title last weekend, having posted a perfect record in the spring against eastern teams.

NCAA tournament ranking give Southern California first place, followed by Stanford, UCLA and Georgia.

If Harvard is able to defeat the Bulldogs in the first round, they will advance to meet fourth-seeded Georgia the next day.

The team tournament is scheduled for Ma 15-19, to be followed immediately by the individuals, which will be held May 20-24.

Harvard will represented at the individuals by Michael Zimmerman in singles, and the teams of Zimmerman and Mike Shyjan , and Chang and Rueb in doubles.

Seedings and match-ups for the individual tournament have not yet been announced.