Crimson Loses Everything at Once In Dismal Game With Massachusetts

The pressure of aiming for an undefeated season is off.

The varsity football team now faces a busy week of not only realigning its offense but also discovering why the precision team that dominated the Holy cross game one week could possibly come through with such an abysmal off day the next Saturday.

In losing to the University of Massachusetts, 27 to 12, the over-confident Crimson could do nothing right. The usually reliable right side of the line leaked considerably; safety men got in each others' way and dropped easy punts; routine tackles were missed; the team's quarterback was covered on every play; the players had a knack at producing wholly needless penalties at the wrong time; backs couldn't find holes, hit other backs, and had to push tardy blockers out of the way.

Still, as coach John Yovicsin said later, "We would be lucky to beat them if we were at our best." Massachusetts blocked, tackled, and ran for keeps.

In what UMass coach Chuck Studley called the most important play of the game. The visitors won the coin toss and chose to defend the open end of the field with the strong wind at their backs. After three unsuccessful Crimsos attempts from scrimmage, the Redmen took charge on their 41 and in 11 plays surprised the varsity with a touchdown.

Errors Plague Crimson

An indication of things to come was the Crimson's bobbling the subsequent kickoff, forcing the team to play deep in their own territory. On fourth down Bruce MacIntyre's punt was blocked by end Paul Majeski, who recovered the ball on the eight. The second UMass score same two minutes later.

Both Crimson touchdowns came on thick, one-play breaks. The first came after Ravenel limped off the field, as Jerry Bartolet, sophomore quarterback, began a creditable performance despite weak protection. Bartolet sent Hobie Armstrong through right tackle on the first play without Ravenel. The sophomore halfback evaded several tacklers on his way down the right sidelines and tragged two defenders across the goal line with him.

The varsity made it 20 to 12 in the third period on a fancy 21-yard run by Bruce MacIntyre after a UMass fumble. All Crimson attempts at sustained drives were extinguished by miscues or foolish penalties. Among the turning points:

Larry Repsher gained three yards for third and two on the 41, and on offsides violation resulted in a second and ten and eventually in the end of the rally.

Bob Boyda broke up a screen pass by UMass for no gain forcing a punt situation, but a personal foul by the varsity charitably gave Mass a first and ten on the 40.

Within the Mass 20 late in the second half, the varsity elected to try a field. goal when three points would have helped little. The kick fell far short, and the Redman began again on the 30.

On its own 13, the varsity lost the ball after a penalty, backfield mixup, and tumble, but managed to hold the visitors through three downs. Then an unwarranted interference violation by a Crimson back put the ball on the one and set up touchdown number four.

After Massachusetts' final score, things did not get any better for the Crimson. A few minutes later an announcement was made to the press about Ravenel's inactivation for a month, and somehow what happened in the scoreless last quarter didn't concern the sportwriters muc