W. Tennis Survives Grueling Weekend

The Harvard women's tennis team competed in its own version of a marathon this weekend, playing three matches in three days. The Crimson (12-8, 6-0 Ivy) burst out of the starting gate with a 7-0 win over Brown, Friday afternoon at Providence, R.I., and picked up the pace across the middle stages with a 6-1 win over Yale Saturday at New Haven. Harvard  7 Brown  0 Harvard  6 Yale  1 W&M  7 Harvard  2

The final kick to the finish line, however, just was not there Sunday afternoon at Beren Tennis Center where Harvard dropped a 7-2 decision to the Colonial Athletic Association champion William and Mary.

"We were playing the third day in a row against a team that's much better than us," junior co-captain Kelly Granat said. "For us to have beaten them we would really have had to peak at the right time."

With its decisive wins against Brown and Yale, however, the crimson clinched at least a tie for the Ivy League title--an honor Harvard has earned since 1992.

"With the way the Ivy's been this year with everyone beating everybody else, we didn't know what to expect going into the weekend," Granat said.

The Crimson captured all six singles matches and two of the three doubles matches against Brown to notch the 7-0 victory. The contest began outdoors but mid-way through the doubles matches rain forced the matches indoors.

Saturday, Harvard dismantled the Elis, 6-1, in match that was also moved indoors because of rain. Only an inspired performance by Yale senior Cindy Kuragami--who was playing in her final collegiate tennis match--prevented the Crimson shutout. Kuragami defeated Crimson sophomore Gina Majmudar in three sets at first singles.

Harvard can clinch the Ivy title outright with a win Wednesday against Dartmouth. The Big Green's 5-1 league record has it close on the Crimson's heels.

"We knew we needed to win both matches," junior co-captain Kate Roiter said. "But we didn't look ahead to Yale until we had beaten Brown."

Despite its wins against its Ivy foes Friday and Saturday, the Crimson knew it was facing an opponent of much higher caliber on Sunday in William and Mary (23-5).

The Tribe came into Cambridge with quite a track record, having beaten several top-15 teams including the a recent upset of top-ranked Georgia.

William and Mary practiced at Harvard Saturday and were more than prepared for the weary Crimson squad returning from two important Ivy League matches.

"There was no way we were going to beat them the way they were playing," Roiter said.

The only winner on the day in singles action for the Crimson was sophomore Maryla Madura--who won at sixth singles, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

At third doubles, the tandem of freshman Gabriela Hricko and Julia Kim won 6-3, 6-1, notching their third doubles win on the weekend.

"They've been playing really well together," Roiter said. "They're a tough team."

Early in the fall season Harvard had faced William and Mary in the semifinals of the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association Eastern Regional Team Championships--and lost 4-0. (The officials stopped the match when the Crimson could no longer catch up.)

The rematch Sunday was no easier.

"They've improved since the fall," Roiter said. "That could have to do with the constant stiff competition they face. All players on their team are going to have a tough match every time they play."

William and Mary has locked up the number-one ranking in the Eastern Region and will represent the region in the NCAA tournament May 12-21 at Malibu, California.

After the Crimson decides its fate in the Ivy standings against Dartmouth Wednesday afternoon, it will end the season with a match at Syracuse.

The winner of the Crimson Orangemen match will end the season as the second ranked team in the Eastern region--a distinction that will not lead to an NCAA bid, but would certainly be a welcome honor for the netwomen.