Prinecton's powerful tennis team overwhelmed Harvard, 7-2, Saturday, and knocked the Crimson netmen from the top of the Eastern Intercollegiate tennis Association.

The loss, Harvard's first in six matches this season, dropped the Crimson to third place in the conference race behind Princeton and Penn.

After coasting to a 4-2 lead in singles, Princeton shocked Harvard by sweeping all three doubles matches. This unexpected doubles strength turned the battle into a rout.

Rocky Jarvis and Terry Oxford squeezed out three-set victories to provide Harvard with its only points of the afternoon. Neither Jarvis nor Oxford has lost a singles match this season.

Jarvis almost got blown off the court as he dropped the first set 6-1 to Princeton captain Les Buck. But "the Rock" bounced back to steal the second set, 7-5, and extend the match. Demonstrating pin-point passing shots and back court hustle in the third set, Jarvis broke service twice to gain a 6-2 margin of victory.

Like Jarvis, Oxford quickly fell behind his opponent, William Krusen, at number five singles. Playing what he called "the best tennis of my life", Oxford pulled out a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 triumph.

Harvard's other racketman were less fortunate. John Levin fell to Princeton's sophomore Bobby Goeltz, 6-4, 8-6 at number one singles. Down 5-1 in the second set, Levin struggled to tie the score at five games apiece, but then lost service. Goeltz needed several match points before he finally won the contest.

Jose Gonzales and Kent Parrot, suffered lopsided losses at third and fourth singles. The two seniors managed to win only three games between them.

Sophomore Larry Terrell jumped to an 8-6, 4-1 lead at number six singles before the roof caved in. Terrell eventually lost 6-8, 6-4, 6-1.

Princeton's doubles sweep added humility to defeat. Doubles has traditionally been the strongpoint of Harvard tennis; last season the Crimson topped Princeton at all three positions.

With the match almost out of reach, Harvard's doubles combinations played uninspired tennis. Levin and Jarvis fell to Princeton's number one tandem 6-0, 6-4. Gonzales and Parrot, at two, and Terrell and Sterne at three, bowed in short order.

Harvard's Freshman tennis team also fell from the undefeated ranks Saturday losing a pressure-packed 5-4 decision to the Princeton freshman.