The varsity swimming team came through when it had to and defeated Navy 52-53 Saturday. Superlative performances by three swimmers led the team to a 45-43 lead going into the final relay, a race coach Bill Brooks described

In the first two legs, Crimson captain Koni Ulbrich and Fred Cooley kept even with their two opponents. The third leg saw Bill Zenegraf gain a slight lead on a fresh Pat Taft, enough then to allow Bob Kaufmann to outdistance Ashley Norfleet by one yard.

Navy's anchor man was gaining gradually, but Kaufmann hung on to the end. Particularly amazing was Zentgraf, who swam with only a 61/2 minute rest, after winning the 440-yard freestyle, the longest race in the meet. Earlier, Zentgraf had won the 220-yard freestyle.

Navy got an unexpected edge when it swept the dive. The Crimson's Gary Pildner, who needed a second to keep the varsity in the meet, won a dramatic upset in the 200-yard backstroke.

Kaufmann set a pool record by winning the 100-yard freestyle in 50 seconds flat. The final relay team also set a pool mark.

Navy suffered, though, from throwing its best swimmers into the opening medley relay, only to lose. Kaufmann, Doug McCartney, Fred Elizalde, and Fred Cooley set a new University record of 3:52.0. The old standard was 3:54.8, set two years ago by Bill Murray, Jim Stanley, John Hammond, and Dick Seaton.

This victory opens the door for the Yale meet. Navy, which had once looked a threat to the Elis' streak, now must rate an underdog. Thus, the March 5 stage is set.

The Summary:

400-yard medley relay--Won by Harvard (Kaufmann, McCartney, Elizalde, Cooley); 2, Navy (Kleban, Taft, Worthington, Norfleet). Tim--3:52.0 (new Harvard University record and new Annapolis pool record.)

220-yard freestyle--Won by Zentgraf (H); 2, Southall (H); 3, Diget (N). Time--2:13.1.

50-yard freestyle--Won by Oldham (N); 2, Bolden (N); 3, Ulbrich (H). Time--0:23.1.

200-yard individual medley--Won by Griffin (N); 2, Schellstede (H); 3, Bartlett (H). Time--2:14.0.

Dive--Won by O'Brien (N); 2, Gutherie (N); 3, Gleason (H). 86.1 points.

200-yard butterfly--Won by Elizalde (H); 2, Worthington (N); 3, Porter (N). Time--2:16.9.

100-yard freestyle--Won by Kaufmann (H); 2, Norfleet (N); 3, Oldham (N). Time--50.0 (new Annapolis pool record).

200-yard backstroke--Won by Pildner (H); 2, Kleban (N); 3, Nickerson (N). Time--2:18.7.

440-yard freestyle relay--Won by Zentgraf (H); 2, Diget (N); 3, Finlayson (H). Time--5:01.7.

200-yard beast stroke--Won by Griffin (N); 2, McCartney (H); 3, Gingras (N). Time--2:26.5.

400-yard freestyle relay--Won by Harvard (Ulbrich, Cooley, Zentgraf, Kaufmann), 2, Navy (Oldham, Blanke, Taft, Norfleet). Time--3:27.4 (new Annapolis pool record)