Three of the four Crimson entries advanced easily yesterday in the opening rounds of the Intercollegiate Squash Tournament at West Point.

Lou Williams was the only loser. After winning his first match, he ran into top-seeded Ralph Howe of Yale and fell 3-0. It was an unfortunate encounter for Williams, who was expected to get through several rounds.

The Crimson's Vic Niederhoffer (second seed), Paul Sullivan, and Terry Robinson moved into the third round with 13 others. Niederhoffer drew a bye in the first round, and downed Toby Symington of Princeton 6-15, 15-12, 15-9, 15-7 in the second round.

Sullivan was in top form against Jerry Hirsch of Wesleyan, beating him 15-8, 15-10, 15-5. "Sully" faces eighth-seeded Tom Poor of Amherst this morning in a key match.

Robinson outlasted Amherst's second, John Pringle, 15-10, 15-10, 15-12. Today he meets Penn's Maurice Heckscher, the little brother of Ben, the National Champion, and a tough competitor in his own right.

Both individual and team titles are at stake at West Point this weekend. In the individual contest, eyes are on Howe and Niederhoffer, third and fourth ranking squash players in the country. Niederhoffer is out to get the debonair Yalieafter Howe edged him 3-2 at Hemenway last Wednesday.

Yale is favored to take the team title, been shaken yesterday when Charlie Frank dropped his opener to Colin Adair of McGill. But even if Eli George West loses against Satterwaithe today, the Blue will pick up a lot of points from which is based on total points. A player receives one point for every round he advances. Yale's complacency must have Howe and teammate Bob Hetherington who will both reach at least the semifinals.

Figure it out: with Williams eliminated and Niederhoffer expected to go the distance, Harvard's chances depend on getting about six points out of Sullivan and Robinson.