The squash team overpowered a strong Amherst varsity yesterday, sweeping eight out of nine individual matches, although no Crimson player could win in straight games.

The victory brightens Harvard's chances against Princeton Friday, since the Tigers were able to pile up only a 6-3 margin over the same Amherst team.

Players for both Amherst and the Crimson turned in inconsistent performances in the three-hour match. Nevertheless, varsity coach Jack Barnaby felt the team's showing was more than adequate for the first match after exams.

The closest match all evening was Paul Sullivan's, against Amherst's Blair Sadler at number six. Down two games to one, Sullivan rallied to a 15-9 victory in the fourth contest, to put the match to five games. In the final, Sadler picked up an early 4-1 lead, but Sullivan pulled up to one-point deficits at 8-7, 9-8, and 9-10 before passing Sadler on his forehand to tie the score at 10-all.

At 11-11, Sadler fell in the middle of a rally but regained his balance and returned several shots before trapping Sullivan behind him. Sullivan had no alternative except hitting the ball at Sadler's back, to win the point. But Sadler climbed back to a 13-all tie, at which Sullivan elected to stake the game on the best of nine points. He took five of the first eight, to win the game 18-16 and the match three games to two.

At number one, Peter Smith beat Dud Lyons in four games, 16-15, 15-14, 7-15, and 15-10. Hampy Howell defeated Porter Wheeler in the second-ranked match, also in four games. Howell's scores were 15-9, 12-15, 15-4, and 15-12.

Crimson captain Tony Lake had to overcome a 2-1 lead in games to defeat Chris Grose, but Lake was able to pull out the last two contests by 15-9 and 15-11, to win the match in five games