NEW HAVEN, CONN., Mar. 17--The Crimson's unexpectedly strong attack in the Eastern Seaboard Intercollegiate Swimming Championships ground to a halt this afternoon in the trial heats of the last seven events. For the varsity, only Bill Zentgraf in the 440 and the medley relay team qualified.

As the Crimson sat by helplessly, Princeton and Yale battled for the first team championship in the history of the meet. The Tigers, who failed to defeat Harvard and Yale in the regular season, showed their latent strength by winning 69 to 60 1/2 over the host Yale team. Harvard finished third with 47 points, followed by North Carolina State (which entered just three men), 42 1/2; Villanova, 25; North Carolina, 18; Navy, 17 1/2; and Colgate, 17.

The Crimson, leading by 15 points after nine events, failed to come though this afternoon. Even the 400-yard medley quartet did not swim to expectations. It barely captured the last qualification place with a time of 3:49.2.

After the 100 backstroke in the evening, the varsity lost its lead to both Princeton and Yale. Nassau's Jed Graef, a double winner, took the event. Yale gained fourth and fifth.

With the Tigers ahead 46 to 42 1/2. Yale gained seven points on Lyn Straw's victory in the 440 freestyle.

Crimson coach Bill Brooks sent Zentgraf out fast in the event and the senior held the lead for the first six laps. Then Eric Moore of Bucknell and Straw raced for the lead, leaving Zentgraf behind in fourth place. The varsity distance man finished in the respectable time of 4:36.6.

Austin Makes Bid

Behind by four and a half points, Princeton needed an upset over Yale's crack medley team in the final event. The first three Tigers compiled a half-pool lead over Yale by the anchor leg; then Mike Austin, who earlier had set an NCAA record in the 50 and a meet record in the 100, staged an amazing rally and came to within a body length of catching Princeton's Dick Williams, who had had a 12-yard lead. Austin's split for the 100 was 47.2, and his record in the event an hour earlier was 47.5.

The Crimson team of John Pringle, Bill Chadsey, Bob Price, and Bob Kaufmann raced home in fourth place, with a 3:46.8 timing.

Princeton's big gain for the Bob Kiphuth trophy again came in the diving; John Andrews took second and Scott Andrews (no kin) took third for the winning Tigers.

Other meet record breakers tonight in Payne-Whitney Pool were Ed Spencer of North Carolina, 53.0 in the butterfly; Gardiner Green of Princeton and Peter Fogarasy of N.C. State, 1:02.2 in the breaststroke; and Thompson Mann. North Carolina, 54.3 in the backstroke (second place).