It’s not every weekend the Crimson plays the No. 1 team in the country. For a team still looking for its first win of the season, however, it’s maybe just as well.

In a doubleheader in Evanston, Ill., Harvard (0-8) fell to a 6-1 defeat at the hands of the No. 1 Northwestern (13-1) yesterday and was narrowly beaten, 4-3, by the Wisconsin (5-7) on Saturday.

The Crimson was further handicapped by injury problems in the buildup to the weekend, with several key players dropping out of the lineup. In such trying circumstances, Harvard found reasons to be pleased with its creditable display.

“We had a few players under the weather, we were carrying a few injuries,” Harvard coach Traci Green said. “So overall, we played pretty well this weekend.”

NORTHWESTERN 6, HARVARD 1

In a typical David versus Goliath clash yesterday, Harvard sought an upset of gargantuan proportions against the top-ranked team in the country. Unfortunately, the Crimson received a heavy dose of reality as the Wildcats won their seventh-straight dual match of the season.

“You always learn from playing No. 1,” Green said. “We saw how they were focused and composed [throughout] the whole match.”

Northwestern took the initiative with resounding wins in the doubles. The Wildcats tightened their grip on Harvard with a dominant singles display. At numbers two to six, Northwestern didn’t drop a set.

However, there were determined performances by the Crimson against prestigious opponents. At No. 1, Harvard recorded a consolation point through an impressive display by junior Beier Ko, who sensationally beat the No. 6 singles player in the nation, Georgia Rose, 6-3, 6-3.

“She [Ko] came out very focused and really slammed her opponent today,” Green said.

At No. 2, the Crimson’s Peterzan came close to forcing a third set versus the No. 4 player in the country, Marie Mosolova, before losing, 2-6, 6-7 (1-7).

“Everyone fought hard and competed,” senior co-captain Stefanie Schnitter said. “We weren’t intimidated.”

WISCONSIN 4, HARVARD 3

In Saturday’s encounter with the Badgers, the Crimson entered the game harboring realistic hopes for its first win of the season. However, Harvard suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat, with the game decided on the outcome of the final singles duel.

“Wisconsin was one of those gritty matches,” Green said.

In a closely fought contest, it was the Badgers that got the upper hand in the doubles. The Badgers sealed the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3.

In singles play, the Crimson looked for an instant response, and it came in the form of three victories in the top three positions. At No. 2, Peterzan defeated Katya Mirnovea 6-4, 6-0, while Ko took three sets to dispatch her opponent 1-6, 7-6, 7-6 at No. 1. Freshman Samantha Rosekrans secured a tough 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 win at No. 3 to give Harvard hope of victory.

However, Wisconsin registered decisive victories in the lower positions to secure the match. At No. 6, senior Vilsa Curto slumped to a 6-1, 6-2 loss against Morgan Tuttle. At No. 4, despite taking the first set, senior Stephanie Schnitter lost to Seyferth 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. The Badgers recorded the win at No. 5, as Chelsea Nusslock defeated Stewart 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in dramatic circumstances.

“We were right in there the whole way and it came down to the last ball,” Green said.