Varsity Soccer Squad Meets Tufts In First Game Today at Medford

The opening whistle for Harvard's soccer season will sound today at 3 p.m. when the Crimson booters take on Tufts at Alumni Field in Medford. It is also the opener for the Jumbos, so not much is known of the relative strength of the two teams, but judging by last year's performance, the Crimson should be the winner.

It's too early for Bruce Munro to decide what his season's first team will be, but he has picked a tentative starting lineup for today, and plans to use his reserves liberally. His first defense, all veterans of last year, looks set, however, and promises to be strong.

Dick Craven leads the team from the goal. He is big, with fast reflexes and a long punt. In front of him are veterans Humphrey Doermann and Charlie Ufford at the fullback posts. This defense combination should hold almost any opposition's attack down to a low score.

The Tufts' attack suffers from the loss of last season's sophomore playmaker Cliff Thompson to the army, but Jumbo captain Al Bennett should give some punch to their attack. He scored ten of Tufts' 14 goals last season when the Jumbos hung up a four and eight record. Nine other lettermen are returning, along with 12 sophomores. Coach John Bohn's varsity lost to the Jumbo freshmen last week, though, by a 6-1 score.

The Crimson attack, with only one veteran lineman, Berk Johnson, to steady it, is Munro's question mark. Dana Getchell and Pete Baker are last year's reserves starting today. Win Knowlton, '53's freshman captain, who didn't play last year, and Juan Rodrigues complete the first line. Larry Leonard and Bernard Florin, who saw some action last year, will team with veteran Bob Harding in the halfback line.

Last year the Crimson defeated Tufts in the opener, 3 to 0.

This year the Crimson should have an added advantage. Munro has ben working his team in daily drills and scrimmages since before school opened, and the soccer squad is consequently in excellent condition. Yesterday the coach remarked, "Condition counts more than skill in early season games."

The Harvard lineup--Craven (c), goal; Doermann, lfb; Ufford, rfb; Harding, lhb; Florin, chb; Leonard, rhb; Johnson, lo; Getchell, li; Rodrigues, cf; Baker, ri; Knowlton, ro.