Harvard's squash match at Annapolis today may decide the championship of the Eastern League. The racketmen meet a mediocre team at Penn tomorrow.
Navy is unbeaten thus far, but has been playing small colleges like Amherst and Williams. Coach Jack Barnaby is not looking for a repeat of last year's 9-0 Harvard victory, because of the Midship men's home-court advantage: "If Navy can beat us, they could go all the way."
Navy will not field any notable individual players, but the Midshipmen are known as spirited fighters in good condition. Warm courts and screaming galleries usually annoy teams visiting Annapolis. Five years ago the Crimson played its last away contest with Navy under similar conditions, and lost.
Harvard expects to take its strongest team on this trip. Third man Jose Gonzales is returning after a rest, and with Anil Nayar at one and Rick Sterne at two, the top three will be complete. None of these three has lost at his position all season, but Sterne had a close match with Navy's number three man in New York over Christmas.
Depth Crucial
The outcome of the Navy match will more likely be decided by the last six men.
The middle three--captain Craig Stapleton at four, Matt Hall at five, and Gordie Black at six--should have more difficulty with the adverse conditions.
Seventh man Yoshi Akabane has moved ahead of Jack Harwood for this crucial match, while Michel Scheinmann will finish the order at nine. Sophomore Fritz Hobbs will play the tenth and uncounted position.
The Crimson racketmen will play in Philadelphia tomorrow, and in spite of Coach Jack Barnaby's "Well take them as they come" attitude, the Penn game should be anticlimactic. Harvard will win easily, probably 9-0, unless the Navy match unnerves them.
Only Penn's number one man, Clay Hamlin, who plays first for Penn's tennis team, and number two man Ed Serues are likely to be dangerous.
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