The Radcliffe squash team notched its first victory of the season yesterday, 4-3, against Tufts in Medford.

The bottom part of the squad pulled Radcliffe through, in a match that saw many of the games running into tiebreakers.

"We used our subcutaneous reserves to squeeze out the victory," Julia Moore, captain and number one player, said yesterday.

Moore had plenty of reserves yesterday, as she downed Martha Wyckoff in straight games, 15-10, 16-10, 15-6, making her the only player out of the top four to win. "I gave her a big smack," Moore said.

Sarah Mleczko, playing at number two, lost in three games to Tufts' Susette Milnor, 15-10, 15-10, 15-13. "She had an off-day, and wasn't playing too well," coach Eric Cutler said yesterday.

Radcliffe's Jenny Stone dropped a close, hard-hitting match at number three, 14-18, 17-15, 18-17, 15-12.

At number four, Eve Caligor lost three very close games, 18-17, 15-12, 18-14.

But the bottom of the order played well, making up for the losses in the top of the order. Number five player Margot McGlade won her second match in a row, but just barely.

McGlade took the first game by one point, and then lost the next two to Tufts' Lisa Doyle. She won the fourth game by thre points, and eked out a 17-16 victory in the fifth game.

"It came down to who was less scared," McGlade said yesterday. "I guess I was less scared," she said, adding that Doyle lost the match on a service return mistake.

Becky Tung, moving up to number six because of Becky Miles's absence, won another close match, 8-15, 15-10, 15-12, 9-15, 15-7. And Marina Castaneda, playing her first varsity match, easily handled Margie Ringelheim, 15-3, 15-12, 15-10.

Radcliffe also won the two alternate matches. Ginger Thompson, the number eight player, won 3-1, and number nine player Meg Lesser beat Ann Doremas 15-6, 16-8, 15-10.