There's really nothing more than the nine-man intercollegiate championship at stake when the Crimson racquetmen entertain Penn this afternoon at Hemenway, but then again, this is nothing new.
Three years ago, when this same title was at stake in Philadelphia, the Crimson after tailing 4-1 in the potentially decisive sixth match, rallied to capture the championship, 5-4. So much for '73.
A year later, the Quakers came north with revenge on their minds. Once again, the title was at stake, but this time, though, it was no contest. The score was Harvard 6, Penn 3. So much for '74.
Gimme Five
Last year, Princeton had been conceded the title by this time, so the Crimson-Penn encounter would only decide who was to occupy second place in the nation. The Quakers grabbed a 4-3 lead, but you need five to win, and Penn, once again, couldn't quite make it. Harvard 5, Penn 4, and here we come to '76.
This year, as in '73 and '74, the national intercollegiate title is up for grabs. If Harvard wins, and the Crimson is rated as a slight favorite thanks to the 6-3 upset over Princeton two weeks ago, the championship returns to Cambridge for the 20th time.
If Penn wins, the title will be decided next week when the Quakers face Princeton.
All of this assumes that Harvard will not lose at Yale next week, should it defeat Penn today, but the possibility of this happening is about as real as the possibility that the Crimson cagers will win the Ivy basketball crown this year.
Here are (tentatively some of the key match-ups in today's Harvard-Penn squash showdown: Victory today, however, is uncertain. Penn has Gil Mateer, the top intercollegiate player at the moment, and a host of others who would surely like to beat the Crimson. In fact, the only certainly at the moment is that the match will begin at 2 p.m., and it should be a good one.
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