THE GAME, THE WEEKEND, THE TITLE

Harvard's varsity soccer team meets Yale in its season's finale this afternoon hoping to break a two-game losing streak and avoid finishing in the Ivy League's second division.

The Crimson has garnered six points and is currently tied for third place in the league with Yale and Cornell. Brown has clinched a tie for the top spot with 10 points and leads second place Penn by two points.

But the Crimson is still plagued with injuries to key performers. Outside Gerry Montero and fullback Bob Gray, who watched the Crimson's losses to Brown and Army from the bench, will miss the action with the Elis, as will reserve goalie Jim Sawhill.

Harvard's forward line has been crippled by injuries, cutting down its speed and hampering its scoring effectiveness. Peter Bogovich, who has already scored 15 goals this year, played only half of the muddy NCAA regional game with Army. His injured knee has impaired his ability to penetrate opposing defenses, and he did not score in either the Brown or the Army contest.

Solomon Gomez, who has scored 6 goals this season to trail Bogovich for team honors, was forced out of action against Brown with an ankle bruise and has been slowed since then. Captain Scott Robertson has been playing with an ankle sprain and knee and shoulder injuries. Jaime Vargas, slowed by a leg injury in the Brown game, should be fully recovered for Yale.

The defense, except for Gray, is healthy, although goalie Richie Locksley has been suffering from a pulled thigh muscle.

Yale dropped their first three Ivy games while scoring only one goal. Since then, they have won their last three games, including a 2-1 upset victory over Penn sandwiched between victories over Dartmouth and Princeton.

"Yale will be tough to beat," said Coach Bruce Munro, whose Crimson squads have lost only twice to the Bulldogs since the Ivy League began play in 1955. "It is the fastest improving team in the league."

Forwards Mike Mueller and Sunny Oyekan lead Yale's attack. Mueller, an All-Ivy performer last year, is third in the league this year in scoring. In Yale's 11 games this year, Mueller tops the squad with 6 goals, one more than Oyekan's total.

In addition to these two explosive performers, Yale is spearheaded on defense by last year's All-Ivy goalie steve Greenberg who is having another top year.

This weekend concluded Ivy soccer play for the year. Brown faces tough Columbia, and Penn takes on Dartmouth in action that will determine first place. In another game, Cornell struggles to hold onto a piece of third place against Princeton. At best, the Crimson can tie Penn for the second slot.