The Harvard men's water polo team gave new meaning to the phrase "don't mess with us" in its game with Yale Friday.

"Yale said they wanted to play the first half seriously and we did that and beat them," freshman Fred Scherrer said after he and his teammates tore apart their New Haven rivals, 17-4, in both squads' season finale at blodgett Pool.

The Crimson's fast-paced game--the squad's greatest asset this season--baffled a helpless Bulldog defense.

In the first quarter, the aquamen immediately attacked their punchless opponents. Junior Rob Strauss scored three of his four goals right off the bat and Scherrer added two more to put the Cantabs on track.

When the waves finally settled and the first quarter was over, the Crimson found itself on top by an impressive 9-0 count.

By then, the festivities were well underway. Everyone got into the game for Harvard, including some who aren't even on the team.

Some graduate students who have helped the Crimson this year got their chances to play. So did the assistant coaches, and even Bob Hrabchak, captain of the Harvard swim team, was in on the action.

The aquadudes didn't hesitate to try anything to score. On one play, freshman Wade Stokes swam to the bottom of the pool, Bruce Novis got on his shoulders, and Stokes jumped, sending Novis in the air for a shot. The attempt failed, but the Crimson kept pressing.

In the end, Harvard--which finished the season 14-11 and as the East's seventh best team--had domolished Yale for the fourth time this year.

Captain Adam Button, who scored four goals in the game, summed up the season finale well. "They were up for the Yale weekend and to have fun, and they had fun," he said.