Coed Volleyball Squad Spikes B.U. in Season's First Match

Leadlocked at 13-12 in a deciding third game, the Harvard-Radcliffe volleyball team pulled out two points to win the first coed intercollegiate volleyball match against a makeshift B.U. squad last night.

The bench outnumbered the crowd at the Radcliffe Gym, but the 15-9, 12-15, 15-13 match was marked by rocket spiking, flashy saves, and colorful uniforms. Blue jeans and earrings were on display, and one B.U. player sported a bright red shirt marked with a decorative cannabis leaf.

The Harvard-Radcliffe team walked away with the first game, finishing it off with a powerful spike by sophomore Wolfgang Gutscher.

The home squad, rusty from the exam period layoff, played a sloppy second game. Several mix-ups by the visitors let the Harvard-Radcliffe pull into a lead at 12-11, but B.U. took four fast points to win 15-12.

In the final game, with Harvard-Radcliffe leading 9-4, a controversial call by the referee caused an observe, to say that B.U. was "psyched out, but they rallied back to 13-12, setting the age for the dramatic finale.

A sharp serve and a deep placement shot by junior Todd Stitzer iced the game. Stitzer, a Springfield College transfer who has played in the National Volleyball Championships at U.C.L.A., hopes to organize a Harvard-Radcliffe team for the New England Volleyball Championship on March 3.