Stumbling Soccer Squad Faces Tough Penn Test

Harvard's faltering varsity soccer team will meet Pennsylvania's talented but equally unsteady booters today. The Crimson must win if it is to stay in contention for the Ivy League Championship it won last year.

Both Harvard and Penn were among the pre-season league favorites, but neither has been able to score consistently and they are now floundering in fourth and sixth places, respectively.

Although the Quakers have dominated nearly all their games, their Ivy record stands at 0-1-2, including ties with Cornell and Princeton and a 2-0 loss to Brown. Harvard with an Ivy record of 1-1-1, has also controlled all its games but has frequently failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities.

Penn's starting lineup boasts ten returning lettermen, including two of last season's All Ivy selections--right halfback Manual Kyprios and inside left Bob Finney, who tied Harvard's legendary Chris Ohiri for the Ivy scoring title last year. Finney, the Quakers' scoring leader again this year, and speedy sophomore inside Bob Dea are Penn's major offensive threats.

Kyprios and fullback Jim Griswold lead Penn's defense (thus far surprisingly steady) in its attempt to thwart Harvard's already erratic scoring punch.

The Crimson's leading scorers, center forwards Jim Baltonstall and Keith Chiappa, will probably both start today, Chiappa filling in at inside right for Fred Akuffo, who is likely to be sidelined with a bad knee. Couch Munro has recently stressed more extensive use of the open wings to move the ball downfield past approving defenses which have been grouping in the middle.

The Crimson defense, which has been quite sloppy in the past two games, should be considerably strengthened by the return of stylish sophomore fullback. Alex Patton, who missed the last three games with a knee injury.