Despite the absence of its two top players, the Harvard women's squash team crushed Bowdoin, 5-2, Saturday.

Becky Tung, recovering from a recent knee operation, and Margo McGlade, who had to take a foreign service exam, both missed the match.

Freshmen Lisa Harrison and Jackie Corrigan stepped in at the first and second positions, respectively; and although both played well, they lost their matches, Harrison by 3-1 and Corrigan by 3-0.

However, the remaining five Crimson racquetwomen dominated their matches, winning nearly every point; and Crimson coach Jack Barnaby said he was generally satisfied with his team's play.

The Jitters

Barnaby said the freshmen's inexperience showed, particularly in their failure to adjust quickly to the unfamiliar Bowdoin courts. Harrison and Corrigan played well, but, as Barnaby said, Bowdoin's top two players "pounced on every mistake."

Captain Jenny Stone and senior Sarah Mleczko, both recovering from either illness or injury, scored decisive victories at the fourth and sixth positions, respectively. With Courtney Stimpson taking a win in the third slot and the inexperienced but improving Libby Pierpont copping a victory in the seventh slot, Harvard coasted into its season-opening triumph.

The most positive note of the day for Harvard came from fifth-ranked Ellie Cunningham, who swept her match with scores of 15-10, 15-3 and 15-4.

"Basically, we really trashed them," Cunningham said later. "It's a nice way to begin the season, but with their inexperience and our injuries, it's not indicative of anything."

Tung's knee has been improving rapidly and she expects to be ready for Thursday's match with Tufts.

"Overall, this match showed what Jack's been saying about the depth of the team," assistant coach Elyse Jacobs said.