Before Saturday's meet with Cornell, Harvard swimming coach Ray Essick gave each team member a tee shirt with a red target printed on it. The bull's eye was an H for Harvard. As coach Essick explained, "It seems as if everyone is aiming for us this year."

Cornell did just that as it was hoping its four big guns would shoot down the high-flying Crimson squadron. Unfortunately for the Big Red, all of its shots fell short as it was bombarded by Harvard, 77-36.

'Couldn't Handle It'

"Their big shots lost right off," Essick said, "and they couldn't handle it. They just couldn't come back."

The initial setback for Cornell was the last-place finish of highly touted diver Mike Guzewicz in the first one-meter diving competition while Harvard's Dave English won the event in his first home meet of the year. English also took first in the second one-meter event as he beat out Guzewicz by a scant 20/100 of a point. The second competition featured one of the finest diving exhibitions of the year as the top three divers each scored over 270 points.

Strike two for Cornell was the defeat of the fine freshman freestyler. Jim Johnson, in the 200 free despite his effort which set a new Cornell record. Hess Yntema, Harvard's stellar swimmer, won the event in 1:44.8 while Johnson swam it in 1:45.2.

KO Punch

Cornell was out of contention after Chuck Gruye lost the 50 free to the Crimson's George Keim but the KO punch came from Harvard captain Dave Brumwell as he beat Red star Jack Branden in the 200 individual medley.

"We knew that Branden could beat Brumwell as Branden has gone 1:57 in the 200 IM," Essick said. But Brumwell swam it in 1:58 as compared to Branden's 1:58 to take the event.

Place 1-2-3

Peter Tetlow, senior Rich Baughman and Pace Canales placed 1-2-3 for Harvard in the 1000 free. Tetlow swam the distance in 10:03 and Baughman in 10:06. As there was no substantial competition from Cornell, Essick must have told Canales to take it easy as he finished 40 seconds after Tetlow Canales did come back and swim a strong 4:47 in the 500 free to beat Cornell's Johnson and win the event.

Harvard gave away the last event because it did not race its best team in the 400 free relay, while Cornell swam its stars to win the event easily for the only Cornell first-place finish of the meet.