Soccer Squad Will Meet Columbia; Lions to Field Unpredictable Team

"Like a pig in a poke" is the way coach Bruce Munro describes this morning's soccer game with Columbia. The varsity will face the Lions here at 11 a.m., and nothing about the contest--not Columbia's strength, the Crimson's lineup, the rules, or the condition of the playing field--is without its own measure of uncertainty.

This fall marks only the second season of Columbia soccer in the past 44 years. The Lions met half of the Ivy League soccer squads last fall, and will play the other teams this year, with possible admission to the League set for 1960. In 1958, its first season of varsity status since 1915, Columbia posted a 1-6-2 record. Earlier in the present campaign, the Lions bowed to C.C.N.Y., the best team in the New York area, 5 to 2, and lost to Pratt, perennially in the middle of the Metropolitan League standings, by a 3-1 margin.

Still, the opinion around the practice field is that "you can never tell about Columbia." The Lions have several exchange students on their roster, many with considerable individual talents. As a result, they usually display an unpredictable "razzle-dazzle" offense, with fancy dribbling, spectacular shooting, and, inevitably, a modicum of teamwork.

Injuries Hamper Crimson Squad

Inside John Hedreen is an important question mark for the varsity. After conquering the effects of a virus attack, he pulled a thigh muscle in the Williams game and will see only limited action today.

Lanny Keyes, Crimson fullback and captain, will start this morning, despite a troublesome leg injury.

Munro will open with John McIntosh and Tadgh Sweeney at wing, John Mudd and either Hedreen or Bruce Johnstone at inside, and Larry Ekpebu at center. Marsh McCall, Bill Rapp, and Charlie Steele will be the halfback line, with Keyes and Tim Morgan at fullback and Tom Bagnoli in the nets.

Doubt still existed last night about the rules for substitution. In the Ivy League, to which Columbia aspires, squads are limited to 16 players. Since the Lions are not yet Ivy members, however, there is no necessity that the game be played under League regulations.

The capricious condition of the playing field is always a matter for conjecture.