Soccer Varsity Encounters Tough Indian Squad Today

The varsity soccer team will put its claims on the Ivy League championship to the test this afternoon when it meets a rugged Dartmouth squad here at 2 p.m. If the Crimson can defeat the Indians, only Yale should stand in the way of a successful title defense.

With a 2-1 win over Cornell to its credit, the varsity stands 1-0 in League play. The Indians currently reside at the bottom of the rankings with an 0-3 record, having lost to Penn, Brown, and Princeton.

Despite its poor Ivy record, Dartmouth will challenge the Crimson's undefeated streak today. In their two non-League contests, the Indians whipped UConn, 3 to 2, and then took the measure of a strong Amherst eleven, 4 to 2. The varsity tied the Lord Jeffs, 1 to 1, earlier in the season.

Right wing Don Betterton will lead the Big Green offense against the powerful varsity defensive unit. Betterton tallied twice in the Amherst game, breaking through one of the roughest defenses in the East. Center forward Larry Holden and twin insides Hugh and Stuart Johnson give the Indians a balanced offensive punch.

However, the Dartmouth backfield can be scored upon. The defense has yielded 15 goals in five games, and 11 in three Ivy encounters. Fullbacks David Blake and Henry Muller are big, but slow, and sophomore goalie Duke Ellington does not seem to have the necessary experience and coolness under fire.

Offense Opens Out

Two developments have aided the Crimson offense, which came to life somewhat in a 2-1 victory over M.I.T. on Tuesday. Coach Bruce Munro's decision to "open out" the attack has given the varsity forwards more room to maneuver, and the return of inside John Hedreen has bolstered the team's lagging line play. Hedreen has developed a case of shin splints, but is expected to start.

Center Larry Ekpebu and inside John Mudd should get a good opportunity to use their considerable scoring talents this afternoon. Ellington should be a pleasant change from the long line of excellent goalies the Crimson has had to face this fall-Scotty Holmes of Amherst, Bob Adams of Williams, and Stew Witt of Columbia, among others.

The Crimson should not experience its customary difficulty in scoring against a fairly weak Green defense. On the other hand, holding the Indians scoreless or nearly so will present something of a problem. A varsity victory is by no means certain.