In what was just one more stop on a long road to the all-important Princeton match, the Crimson varsity netmen spent a few hours in New York on Saturday, expending just enough effort to crush the Columbia Lions, 6 1/2-2 1/2.

Even without the services of number-two player Howard Sands, the Harvard racket swingers had no trouble handing the Lions their first home loss of the year. The match was played on clay in the dingy confines of the Columbia Tennis Center.

Superfluous

Once again, the stellar performance of the Crimson singles players made the doubles all but unnecessary. Because of Sands' sore shoulder and since the outcome of the match had already been decided, the two coaches decided to forego the third doubles. The two teams split the points, making the final score 6 1/2-2 1/2.

At no point was the supremacy of the Harvard squad ever really in doubt. First singles Don Pompan made convincing amends for his loss on Friday, playing an excellent match to whip Jeff Pappell, 6-3, 6-4.

With Sands out of the match, coach Dave Fish moved the bottom four singles players up a notch, with number seven Greg Kirsch filling in at number six. At the second slot, Warren Grossman filled in for Sands admirably, slamming two sets by Dave Cooper, 7-6, 6-3.

Grossman's victory came against a player who had defeated Pompan in a winter tournament. Cooper had recently dropped from the number one position on the Columbia squad.

At third position, captain Bob Horne won the first set, but fell in the next two, losing a close three-setter, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5.

That loss didn't derail the Crimson Princeton-bound train, as both Mike Terner and Adam Beren--playing four and five, respectively-rebounded from first-set losses to win their matches. Terner beat Adil Toubia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, while Beren fought back to tame Lion Don Siegel, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Greg Kirsch rounded off the day by swamping Bob Zinna, 6-1, 6-3. The two squads split the two completed doubles matches.

The Mistake Department: Coach Fish never even contemplated moving Mike Terner back up to number three, replacing Warren Grossman, as reported here last week. Sorry, guys.