The squash team's number one man has a sprained ankle, the number two man is playing with a back injury, and the third player is in Kansas on personal business. Nevertheless, it is extremely unlikely that the varsity will fail in this evening's attempt to register the Crimson's 16th consecutive victory over M.I.T. The match is at 7 p.m., on the Engineers' courts.

Playing one and two for the Crimson, in spite of their injuries, will be Peter Smith and captain Tony Lake, both veterans of last winter's undefeated squad. Because of Doug Poole's absence, Hampy Howell, Bob Sohwartsman, and Paul Sullivan will move up to complete the top five.

Smith Plays Saad

Smith will have to overcome M.I.T.'s Fred Saad, who once defeated a player seeded eighth in the Nationals. Saad, however, has a shoulder separation and must wear a brace that will out down his effectiveness. Lake's opponent will be Loutfy El Shbriny.

The last four Crimson players are all sophomores, except for eighth-ranked Joe Grew. Doug Walter and Roger Welgan are playing sixth and seventh, and Alec McDonald is holding down the ninth spot.

Sullivan, Walters, and Weigan were sixth, seventh, and eighth men on last year's freshman team. Although they had to pass several initially higher ranked classmates to get the positions they hold on the varsity, their presence in these positions is indicative of the team's only weakness; inexperience. Exactly half the top ten are sophomores, and most of the seniors are playing four or five spots above the positions they held last year.

Still, counting everything together--inexperience, M.I.T.'s hot courts, and the possibility of bad luck--the Engineers should be easy. But the Army match, to be played at home this Saturday, will be a different matter.