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Netmen Rout Williams Ephs, 7-2

By Gordy Rawles
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Returning from a frolicsome
tour of the sunny land of the
South, the Williams College tennis
team made a casual side stop in
Charlottesville to play the
unspectacular Cavalier letters.
After all, it was on the way back to
Massachusetts. The invaders met
with something which they didn't
expect-a spectacular Virginia tennis
team and a lopsided 7-2 setback.

The Cavaliers jumped out to an
insurmountable 5-1 lead in singles
before the northerners had a chance
to catch their breath. Andy
Scheinman started the ball rolling
as he chalked up a quick 6-3, 6-4
victory over Scott Crawford in the
number three singles match.

Doug Waterman, the only
first-yearman to make the starting
singles line-up, promptly added a
6-4, 6-3 decision to the Cavalier
cause. His powerful and consistent
ground strokes proved to be too
much for Pete Kinney, and the
match lasted only an hour.
Waterman, as well as Scheinman,
now has a 3-0 individual record.

Jeff Podesta, Virginia's own
representative from Orangeland,
was the only other Cavalier to hand
in a straight set victory. Using his
flashy strokes and tactics to full
avail, Podesta demolished Dave
Johnson in the first set and fought
off a comeback in the second to
win, 6-2, 8-6. Only a
second-yearman and the apparent
heir to the number one singles spot,
Podesta has shown promise to
become a top ACC netter.

With the first three matches
tallied for the Cavaliers the Williams
racketmen suddenly seemed to
come out of their daze in hope that
it was not too late to salvage a
victory. In a valiant effort the next
three singles matches were
extended into three sets.

John Winter, playing in the
number four slot, started off slowly
as he dropped the first set to Corky
Corkran, 6-4, but the determined
Virginian came storming back to
blank his opponent, 6-0, in the
second. Using his powerful serve
and quick net game, Winter was
able to outlast Corkran as he took
the final set, 7-5, and the match.

In the battle at the number five
spot it was Dave Blackford of
Williams who found himself rallying
in the second set after losing the
first to Biff Cooper, 6-3. Blackford
won the second, 7-5, to throw the
match into a third deciding set.
However, Cooper exploded and
completely baffled his opponent
with a stunning array of volleys and
passing shots to finish off
Blackford, 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.

The longest and most
disappointing match of the day
came at the number one singles
position. Mike Eikenberry, still
under the jinx which has kept him
losing for over a week, blasted Ed
Cunningham, 6-0, in the first set of
his match, but fell back into the old
rut as he dropped the next two, 3-6
and 1-6. The Cavalier captain could
not keep up with the consistent
Williams senior, who combined
well-placed ground strokes and an
occasional lob to outmaneuver
Eikenberry.

Having stunned the unsuspecting y
Williams netters with a 5-1 singles
romp, the Cavaliers entered the
doubles play with a victory assured.
Coach Burris used this opportunity
to give his younger players, John
Mertz and Bob Kain, some
experience.

In the top doubles match
Eikenberry and Winter met the
Cunningham-Crawford duo, and
once again the Cavaliers were
extended to three sets as the
Williams netters rallied to win, 4-6,
6-3, 6-2.

In the second and third matches
the tandems of Cooper-Mertz and
Kain-Scheinman had no trouble.
Both polished off their opponents

in straight sets.

With their third victory against
no defeats under their belts the
Cavalier netters began practice
immediately in preparation for a
2:00 match against Colgate this
afternoon. Coach Burris expects a
tough match from the New England
small college power which defeated
the Cavaliers, 8-1, two years ago
and have amassed a 42-2 record
since then. However, the Cavaliers
have shown the potential to give a
good performance.