Tigers Devour Men's Tennis

Ouch.

That just about sums up the feelings of top seeds Columbia (1) and Harvard (2) in the NCAA Region I tournament, held this weekend at the Beren Tennis Center.

Both Columbia and Harvard dropped their first round matches on Saturday, with Dartmouth (4) knocking off the Lions 4-3 and Princeton downing the Crimson, 5-2.

In the final round, the Tigers outdueled the Big Green, winning 4-3. The finals were decided in the third set of the second singles match in which Princeton's Reed Cordish outlasted his opponent, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5.

With their victory yesterday the Tigers qualify for the NCAA Championships, to be held at Notre Dame, May 21-24.

While the Tigers will look to advance through the NCAAs, the Crimson squad, beset by injuries through most of the spring season, will have to deal with the gloomy memories of its final match of the '93-'94 season.

The Crimson loss on Saturday was more a result of who didn't play than who did, as once again each of Harvard's singles players was moved up three positions due to injuries.

"With half of our line-up out it's really tough to win against quality teams," head coach Dave Fish said. "Princeton has a better team than us with our injuries so it was their match to win."

The match against Princeton got off to a promising start for the Crimson, as senior Adam Meister and freshman Josh Hausmann clinched the doubles point with a 9-8 (7-4) victory at second doubles. The first doubles tandem of captain Marshall Burroughs and freshman Mitty Arnold won earlier, 8-3.

The doubles victories turned out to be the only highlights of the afternoon for Harvard, as the singles matches provided little to cheer about for large throng of Crimson faithful in the stands.

At first singles, Burroughs dropped his match to Andy Weiss, 6-4, 6-2. Burroughs entered the match with an impressive 5-0 mark at the first singles spot this season and had beaten Weiss in their earlier meeting this year. Burroughs played to form early in the first set, when he took a 4-1 lead. Midway through the first set Burroughs faltered, though, and Weiss cashed in no his opportunity.

"I started off well," Burroughs said. "I got into a rhythm early but I just got flat later on. I don't know why."

"Marshall played close to a flawless match the last time he played Weiss," Fish said. "It was just too tough to do that again."

The second singles contest also featured a rematch of earlier action, as Crimson sophomore Daniel Chung took the court against Cordish, whom he had beaten earlier in a three-setter.

Chung played solidly, but it was not to be. This time it was Cordish who came through with the winning shots, winning the match, 6-4, 6-4.

"I was a little nervous," Chung said. "I think that was the difference. I started to get it going at the end but it was too late."

"Reed [Cordish] had a good day," Fish said. "He was going for broke on all his shots and making them."

The fourth, fifth and sixth singles players fared no better as the Crimson dropped all three of the matches in straight sets.

Crimson sophomore Howard Kim lost at fourth singles, 6-3, 6-3. Freshman Martin Olsson dropped his fifth-singles match 6-3, 6-4. And at sixth singles Hausmann lost, 6-2, 6-4.

The lone singles victor for the Crimson was freshman Mitty Arnold at third singles. Mitty won the first stanza, 7-2 in the tie-breaker, and took the second set--completed after Princeton had clinched the match, 7-5. Mitty's win improved his record to 22-6 on the season and 6-0 at third singles.

Although the same line-up had beaten Princeton one month ago, Saturday's results saw a reversal of fortune.

"The first time we played them we didn't really have a right to win," Fish said. "We ambushed them that time but this time they were ready."

Although the Crimson as a team failed to make it to Notre Dame, two netters were selected to participate in the singles and doubles tournaments held immedately following the team championships.

Burroughs was selected to represent the Crimson in the 64-man singles tournament by virtue of his 15-8 record overall and 5-1 record in first-singles matches.

And he will team up with Arnold in the NCAA doubles tournament. Burroughs and Arnold have dominated the competition at first doubles this season, compiling a record of 9-0.