The Yale women's tennis team arrived in Cambridge determined to liberate the Ivies from Harvard's seven-year headlock on the league championship belt.

Instead, an ailing Crimson squad knee-dropped the Elis, 6-3, yesterday at sun-baked Beren Tennis Ceter. The victory, combined with Brown's 5-4 loss to Dartmouth yesterday in Hanover, N.H., left the Crimson (7-5 overall, 3-0 Ivy) in sole possession of first place in the Ivy League.

"We never got a chance to get into [the match]," Yale's Lynn Rosenstrach lamented following a straightset doubles annihilation at the hands of Amy deLone and Jamie Henikoff. "We'd take good shots, but they'd fire back better ones."

The pulverizing pair of deLone and Henikoff opened the match by racing to a 6-2, 6-2 finish over Rosenstrach and Laura Flynn in first doubles competition. The Crimson tandem delivered deep damaging serves and nailed passing shots to overpower the Elis (4-3 Ivy) and notch the win.

Harvard's flu-stricken Cristina Dragomirescu and injured Jen Minkus then marauded Jennifer Mahoney and Caroline Johnston by a 6-3, 7-6 margin. Dragomirescu--who had been unable to perform for two weeks--showed few rusty spots in a sharp exhibition that afforded the Crimson a 2-0 advantage.

"Our returns were great, always winning the last shots," Dragomirescu said. "Our cross-court volleys took their timing away by hitting really wide and out of their reach."

Elis Karen Salomon and Kara Weiner spolied Harvard's bid at a doubles sweep in a three-set triumph over Erika Elmuts and Co-Captain Nicole Rival. Knotted at one set apiece, the Yale duo jumped to a 5-1 lead. Looking into the precipice, Elmuts rocketed down-the-line winners to help chop the lead to 5-4. But Salomon and Weiner roared back in the next game to record the Elis' first tally of the match.

Singles Have More Fun

DeLone started singles play with a straight-set smashing of Rosenstrach, the East's seventh-ranked player.

"I think the key was my aggressiveness," deLone said. "I closed out the points at every opportunity. That's important, because [Rosenstrach is] a very steady player who will fight back hard, if you give her the chance."

DeLone's devastation increased Harvard's lead to 3-1. But injury and exhaustion forced Minkus and Dragomirescu to retire at third and fourth singles--permitting the Elis to tie the match, 3-3.

Fortunately for the Crimson, Henikoff harrassed Flynn in straight sets at second singles to shift Harvard back into control.

Harvard never looked back.

Leading, 4-2, Rival rampaged over Salomon in a straight-set blanking at fifth singles. The Kirkland House resident has now recorded two shutouts this season.

Elmuts electrocuted Adrienne Amato, firing deadly backhand returns at her exhausted opponent. The freshman prevailed in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.