Varsity Soccer Challenges Penn Today; Illness May Sideline Hardy and Vargas

Game Time: 10:30

Troubled by injuries and an uncertain defense, Harvard's varsity soccer team meets Pennsylvania today at the B. School field in its toughest match so far.

Center halfback Richie Hardy developed a throat infection late this week and is a doubtful starter. Hardy, who along with Jaime Vargas plays a "link" position in Coach Bruce Munro's 4-2-4 offense, is a key to the Crimson's passing coordination, ball control, and domination of the mid-field play.

A groin muscle injury will prevent outside right Gerry Montero from playing. His place will be filled either by last year's starter Ahmed Yehia or the J.V.'s John Runyan. Elsewhere on the line, Captain Scott Robertson, scoring star Peter Bogovich, and Vargas are all ailing, but should be able to operate at full tilt.

On the bright side, fullback Bob Gray scrimmaged with the team all week and will probably see extensive action today. Gray suffered a serious collision with an opponent in the Wesleyan game four weeks ago, but looked very effective in practice.

Bolster Defense

His return will bolster a defense that lapsed too often against Dartmouth last week, allowing an early 2-0 advantage to degenerate into a 4-4 tie.

With Gray in action, Munro probably will move Hilary Worthen, who subbed for Gray, to right halfback, replacing John Gordon and Bezo Cutler. Gordon and Cutler are sophomores and Munro finds senior Worthen's previous Ivy League experience extremely valuable under pressure.

Reserve goalie Jim Sawhill sustained a torn rib cartilege this week in practice, leaving only J.V. goalie Wayne Quasha as Rich Locksley's back up man. Quasha played in yesterday's J.V. game and Munro is worried about playing him on consecutive days.

Practice this week has heartened Munro on several counts. On Thursday the varsity beat a Harvard-M.I.T. grad team, 2-1, which had edged them, 3-2, the week before. In addition, passing has looked sharp among the forward line, though Munro cited mid-field coordination and defense as still a trouble spot.

Also important on the plus side has been the heightening of team morale during the week. After the exhaustion and disappointment of the Dartmouth tie on Friday and the loss to the Alumni on Saturday, the Crimson's spirits were at a low, according to Munro.

But the booters realize that today's is a must game if they are to boost them-selves above the current four-way tie with Penn, Brown, and Cornell to remain in contention for the Ivy League crown.

"I felt that Penn was one of the teams to beat for the Ivy championship at the start of the season," said Munro. "They play good ball on both the offense and defense. Most probably they are the best team we will have faced to date," he said.

Penn has played an unorthodox 3-3-4 formation in the past. Using three line-men and three halfbacks. Penn deploys 3 deep fullbacks and a "sweeper" in front of the goalie.