The Harvard men's tennis team defeated Dartmouth yesterday afternoon, 5-4, at the Beren Tennis Courts. The match wasn't as close as the final score indicates because the Crimson took five of the first seven matches to clinch the win.

"We won 5-2," Paul Palandjian, who competed at fourth singles for Harvard, said. "But they closed up the score by winning the last two doubles matches."

In addition, Harvard won without the sevices of Arkie Engle. Engle, who usually plays fourth singles and first doubles, was out with a groin injury.

"That shows the depth of the Harvard team," Palandjian said.

Harvard took the top four singles matches. Larry Scott scored a 6-4, 6-1 victory at first singles over Chris Hubble, while Bill Stanley rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 rout over Ted Eliopoulis at number two. Peter Palandjian defeated Dartmouth's Bruce Steel, 6-4, 6-3 at third singles.

Paul Palandjian moved up one spot to take Engle's place and came through with a 6-2, 6-4 win over James Saverese.

"Paul, my brother, probably played the best match he's played all year," Peter Palandjian said.

Darmouth took the last two singles contests to bring the team score to 4-2 going into the doubles matches. The Crimson's Darryl Laddin lost a three-setter to Jeff Hawkins at number five, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Harvard freshman Hank Parichabutr, playing his first ever Ivy singles match, dropped a 6-4, 6-2 decision to Desmond Hussey.

Harvard needed a single win in the three doubles matches to take the team match.

And the Crimson got it when Scott teamed with Dave Clark to win first doubles, 6-1, 7-6, over Hubble and Eliopoulis. It was a stunning win because Clark, a former varsity player particularly strong in doubles, has not played in varsity competition since last season.

"Dave Clark put on an exhibition at first doubles," Dartmouth Coach Chuck Kinyon said. "He's the quickest player in the Ivy league."

Dartmouth was able to take second and third doubles to bring th final count to 5-4. Steel and Severese defeated Stanley and Paul Palandjian at second doubles, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Hawkins and Eugene Kim scored a decisive 6-4, 6-0 win over Peter Palandjian and Parichabutr at third doubles.

"Doubles is usually our strength," Peter Palandjian said. "It's weird that we got swept in two of them. We've got to push things up."

The Crimson (14-6 overall, 6-0 EITA) faces Army, Cornell and Penn State in home matches this weekend.