College tennis matches have been played under bizarre circumstances before, but rarely has a match ended five miles from the place it began. That's what happened yesterday, though, as the Crimson netmen came from behind to beat Pennsylvania, 5-4.

When Penn's number one doubles team won its match to tie the score at 4-4, it looked as if the Crimson had lost the meet and its chances for a victory in the Eastern Intercollegiate Tennis League this year. Dean Peckham and Bob Inman had lost their first set, 6-3, and didn't seem able to break the Penn players' serve. But at about 6:30 p.m., the Crimson combination pulled out the set, 14-12.

Paul Sullivan had no trouble in the number one match, outstroking John Reese, 6-4, 6-2. But in the second singles, Vic Niederhoffer had to play Bailey Brown, who usually plays number one for Penn. Perhaps the Penn coach feared that Brown was not yet strong after a recent injury; in any case, he walloped Niederhoffer, 6-2, 6-3.

Frank Ripley beat Rickie Kolker, 6-2, 6-2, and Chum Steel clobbered John Stein, 6-3, 6-1. But Doug Walter lost to Hecksher, 6-3, 2-6, 6-1, and Sandy Walker was beaten by Elseroad, 6-2, 8-6.

That tied the match going into the doubles. Ripley and Niederhoffer downed Kolker and Stein, 6-2, 7-5, but Brown and Reese squeaked past the Crimson's Sullivan and Steele, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.

That left it up to Peckham and Inman, and Peckham and Inman came through.