This is it. the final act. Everything depends on the outcome of the netmen's match this afternoon against Princeton. This one is for all the marbles: the Eastern League crown and an automatic NCAA berth.

But without a win today, the Crimson will again wallow in the tarpits of a second-place league finish.

Both teams are undefeated in league play so far this year, with the Tigers at 7-0, and Harvard sporting a 6-0 record.

The Tigers are 11-4 overall, and before losing to 12th-ranked Clemson, 7-2, were ranked seventh in a national poll. The Crimson, newly crowned New England champs, is presently unranked.

Leading the men in orange and black will be their first singles stalwart, Jay Lapidus. Recently voted the number-one collegiate tennis player in the country, he certainly belongs in the top three, despite a loss to Clemson's top player.

If anyone in New England can beat Lapidus, it is Crimson first singles Don Pompan. Last fall, he brought Lapidus to two set points before finally succumbing.

After number one, the Tigers become noticeably weaker. Or the Crimson becomes significantly stronger, particularly in the second and third slots. For Princeton, Steve Meister should be playing number two, while Leif Shiras will fill the number-three position.

Howard Sands, who came through to turn the New England "A" bracket Crimson, could do much of the giant-slaying himself, facing Meister at number two.

Warren Grossman, playing number three for the Crimson, should provide a contest for Shiras, whom Harvard number four player Mile Terner defeated in a fall tournament.

At number four, the Terner-Adam Cioth match should go down to the wire. Terner is the new New England "B" bracket champ.

Crimson captain Bob Horne, although a questionable start for today's match, should play Princeton's Steve Feinberg at number five, and Adam Beren will face either Jim Zimmerman or Flip Ruben at number six.

If the match is not decided one way or another during the singles, then Crimson power at the two and three doubles could pull it out. The lower two Princeton duos are notoriously vulnerable.

The match starts at 2 p.m. Try to be there, since this sort of thing doesn't happen often to a Harvard team.