Harvard was left in second and also left alone to ponder about its only Ivy loss of the season, a four-point squeaker to Princeton. which, as it turns out, was the deciding match of the season.

Columbia (4-2) finished third and Cornell (3-3) took fourth.

"The Princeton match was the pivitol one," says Kevin McGinty, one of Harvard's 167-lb, sophomores.

Once Harvard lost that match they also lost control of its own destiny, adds John Zilcosky, Harvard's other 167-lb sophomore.

"Finishing second is nice, but its like kissing your sister," said Tri-Captain Sean Wallace, whose personal record now stands at 21-3 on the year.

"It was very disappointing that we win didn't win the Ivies, but its been a good year. We've shown that we could make it in the Ivy League."

The only other seniors not returning are Tri-Captains Barry Bausano (21-3) and Dan Medalie (6-5) who was injured early in the season.

The 5-1 league finish, nonetheless, is great improvement over last year's 3-3 fourth place showing. Moreover, the Crimson defeated Cornell, a team which they have had great difficulty with in recent years. Even though they did not take the title, the matmen were able to take some consolation in beating Yale.

Wins 'were recorded by Mike Meade, Jeff Clark, Pete Holmes, Kevin McGinty, Wallace and Bausano.

"We had a lot of trouble getting up for Yale," recalls Zilcosky. "We were too busy thinking about Princeton."

THE NOTEBOOK: Next weekend, 10 Harvard wrestlers will travel to the Eastern Invitational Tournament at Franklin & Marshall. Any wrestlers who finish in the top three in their weight class in the tourney automatically qualify to wrestle in the national tournament.