When a handful of Radcliffe swimmers decided three weeks ago to form the school's first waterpolo team, they knew almost nothing about the game. So naturally when the 'Cliffe team went to Wellesley for its season opener Monday night, the women played a haphazard ballgame and lost 5-2.

But the defeat didn't sour the Radcliffe team on waterpolo. At an ice-cream party after the game, the women decided to take the sport seriously and to perfect their strategies.

"We were kind of shocked at our first game," team captain RoAnn Costin '74 said Tuesday. "It's rough if you don't play well."

"We thought waterpolo would be an interesting way to warm up for the swim season, but it's turned out to be pretty frustrating," she said. "There's a lot of technique involved."

Radcliffe played a commendable first quarter against Wellesley, with Jeannie Gayton and Kyle Patterson hitting a goal apiece to put their team ahead.

But the misplaced balls, overthrown passes and eye problems sent the 'Cliffe floundering throughout the rest of the game.

Laura Garwin defended the goal with some finesse, while aggressive captain Costin racked up four personal fouls.

"No doubt things will get better," Costin said. "After all, waterpolo is a new sport in the East. And we're eager to learn."

So far, only nine persons have joined the team, forcing coach Phil Jonckheer to hold practices and inter-squad games on a half-sized court in the IAB pool.

"Phil's taught us everything about rules and techniques," Costin said. "But we're already stuck to playing in a relatively small area." She said Monday's loss was in part due to the team's failure to adjust to Wellesley's regulation 25-yard-long pool and shallow bottom.

Jonchkeer said the team has picked up basic skills quickly, but the game at Wellesley appeared to be "the blind leading the blind."

Can't See

"Three of the girls play without their glasses and can't see a thing," Jonckheer said. "They'd either throw the ball away of get hit on the head with it."

Costin said the players with vision problems have written home for old pairs of glasses. "They're not afraid of getting hit in the face," she said. "The hitting as usually done elsewhere."

Radcliffe's second opponent, Boston College, will confront the notice water-poloists next Wednesday night in the IAB.