It did not take MIT long to get revenge. Harvard's surprising water polo team upset the highly touted Engineers 8-5 Saturday, but they paid for it last night when MIT came out on top in a close struggle at Blodgett Pool, 9-8.

With only 2:20 remaining in the game, freshman sensation Dave Fasi evened the score at eight with his second goal of the night.

Late Bloomers

The aquamen could not tally again, however, and MIT's John Friedman got the game-winner when he tipped a rebound past goalie Rich Reid. Coming with only two minutes left, the goal gave Friedman a total of four for the contest.

The loss dropped Harvard's record to 6-5, leaving them third in Division I rankings for New England. Winner of two of three games from the Crimson, MIT is currently ranked second behind Brown.

The Harvard and MIT squads "are extremely evenly matched," coach Stephen Pike said after last night's match. "To night MIT played much more aggressively; they deserved to win," he added.

Although the aquamen outshot their opponents 25-19, they failed to put the ball in the net. Rich Guerra opened the scoring at 4:25 in the first quarter; the other Crimson goals in the first half came from Fasi, Steve Munatones, and Houston Hall.

But with 19 seconds to go in the half Friedman swung the momentum toward MIT scoring his third goal to give the Engineers a 5-4 lead.

In the third stanza Harvard could only manage one goal to MIT's two, and their fourth-quarter comeback fell short despite scores by Bill Atkinson, John Fisher, and Fasi.

The Air Force water polo team was originally scheduled to meet the aquamen last night, but financial considerations forced the Falcons to cancel their trip east. Because Harvard knew of the cancellation a week and a half in advance, MIT was substituted on the schedule.

The team will face Princeton tomorrow at Brown.