Mary Cist and the Harvard women's squash team confirmed once again that oldest and wisest of sports axioms. Down, 14-11, in the fifth set, Cist kept battling back--and kept repeating one phrase over and over.

"I kept thinking: it's not over till its over," Cist said.

Yogi Berra would have been proud, but Cist was exhausted. She first tied her opponent Anne McGowan, 14-14, but Cist's comeback wasn't finished. She then battled from a 2-1 deficit in a sudden-death set three to take the match and pace Harvard to a 5-4 upset victory over Princeton yesterday at Hemenway Gym.

Harvard lost its first three matches to the defending national champions, and on paper, even Harvard coach Steve Piltch admitted the Tigers might claim the advantage. But yesterday, the Crimson (5-0 overall, 3-0 Ivy) was not only better, it was tougher.

"We all fought harder than we ever fought before," number-five Daphne Onderdonk said. "We played out of our minds."

Harvard battled the Tigers for every point, pushing seven of the nine matches to four and five sets and continually overcoming deficits.

"Each match was so close, you couldn't predict anything," Co-Captain Jenny Holleran said.

In the number-six slot, Carrie Cunningham contributed her own version ofhard-won comebacks. Cunningham fell into a 2-0hole in her match against Alexis Anastos, butinstead of panicking, Cunningham adjusted hergame. She captured the next three sets and thematch.

"I just got used to her style," Cunninghamsaid. "I came in and volleyed more."

"It was an incredible team effort," saidHolleran, who achieved what seemed elusive duringthe match--a solid win in three straight sets."Everyone on our team wanted [to win] so badly. Itwas our goal and we got it."

For the Crimson, the season is anything butover. Its coach, though, isn't taking the winagainst the Tigers for granted.

"They didn't give up," Piltch said. "No matterwhat happens, this team has accomplished a lot."

THE NOTEBOOK: Harvard blanked PennSaturday, 9-0.

Crimson, 5-4 at Hemenway Gym

1. Jenny Holleran (HARVARD) d. Hope Mackay(Princeton), 15-8, 15-12, 15-10; 2. Mary Falk(Princeton) d. Stephanie Clark (HARVARD), 15-10,13-16, 15-9, 15-11; 3. Mary Greenhill (HARVARD) d.Jen Roos (Princeton), 15-14, 15-11, 6-15, 11-15,15-10; 4. Mary Belknap (Prinecton) d. Hope Nichols(HARVARD), 15-11, 10-15, 15-13, 15-11; 5. DaphneOnderdonk (HARVARD) d. Jackie Moss (Princeton),15-11, 15-8, 5-15, 15-6; 6. Caroo Cunningham(HARVARD) d. Alexis Anastos (Princeton) 12-15,15-18, 15-13, 15-8, 15-13; 7. Elizabeth Vanorum(Princeton) d. Brooke Bailey (HARVARD) 10-15,15-14, 15-7, 15-16, 15-10, 8. Grace Sheffield(Harvard) d. Marnie Brooke (Princeton), 18-15,15-12, 15-12; 9. Mary Cist (HARVARD) d. AnneeMcGowan (Princeton), 15-13, 15-17, 15-13, 15-10