From the Crimson... November 11, 1971

Behind Briggs and Fish the Crimson lost its number three and four men to graduation, but Harvard can advance three lettermen who were undefeated at five through seven last year. Senior Alan Quasha won his matches last winter with what Barnaby calls "consummate case." Barnaby said Quasha's strength is his "knowledge of the strategy of the game." Quasha finished the season last winter ranked number one in the Intercollegiate "C" division.

Behind Quasha is junior Dan Gordon, a big player who relies on his strength and hard drives to wear down an opponent. Gordon won the C division tournament last winter. Gordon, too, is a player with talent who can use Barnaby's instruction of "tactical sophistication."

Rounding out the top half of the ladder will be Andy Weigand. A junior who played at seven last year, Weigand has yet to face the challenges of really tough competition, but several players on the team last year felt that Weigand belonged higher up on the ladder than number seven.

While other squads struggled to find replacements at the bottom of their depleted ranks. Barnaby can round out his line-up with lettermen. At eight last year, Alan Quasha is perhaps the strongest player on the squad and the most fiery. Again, Barnaby's refinement could help Vosters climb on the varsity ladder.

Lowell Pratt was undefeated at number nine last year and won most of his matches easily in three games. "He'll have to pick up the full scope of the game that you don't meet at the lower levels," Barnaby said.

Five players are presently battling for the last two positions on the ladder. Senior Reggie Foster played at eight and nine last fall but may be held back by class work this fall. Two others, Rob Shapiro and Bob Sedgewick have two years of experience playing at ten and eleven.

Two sophomores have a chance to break into the varsity ladder. Glen Whitman, number one off last year's Yardlings, has been ambitious in the spending practices. "He needs to be transformed from the slugger to the sophisticated tactician," Barnaby commented. Sophomore Archie Gwathmay, who won the New England junior championship two years ago, is another contender. He is a big, tall player who has the athletic ability to move into one of the bottom four positions.

Barnaby has the opportunity to use freshmen like Alan Quasha this fall, but it is unlikely that he will. "It's not fair to a boy to take him from number one on the freshman where he is challenged and put him at ten or eleven in the varsity."

Barnaby feels that injuries are the only obstacle between Harvard and an intercollegiate title. But with five players equally capable of stepping in at eight or nine, even Mother Nature may have to admit impotency in trying to stop the Crimson.

More from The Crimson... Dec. 6, 1971

Victory was expected against Army, but the highlight of the match was the performance of the Crimson's new number three and four and the strong showing of the new sophomore starters.

Harvard lost its number three and four through graduation last June, but junior Dan Gordon, formerly six, and Alan Quasha, formerly five, moved up on the ladder and successfully fought the tougher competition.

Gordon faced an experienced Cadet at number three in Army Captain Bill James. After dropping the opening game 15-17. Gordon came back to sweep three straight, 18-14, 15-11, 15-12. Quasha, undefeated last year, took his opponent in three games, 15-8, 15-9, 15-13.

Sophomore Archie Gwathmey yielded the least points of the day at number eight. In his first varsity match, Gwathmey crushed his challenger, 15-2, 15-10, 15-7. The only other sophomore in the Harvard line-up, Glen Whitman, whipped Bill Brown at nine, 15-8, 15-9, 15-7.