Varsity Soccer Team Defeats Quakers, 3-0

Penn's varsity soccer team kept even with a disorganized Harvard squad for one period, but then the Crimson coordinated its forward line, dominated the remainder of the game, and beat the Quakers 3-0.

The victory was Harvard's seventh straight this season and its fourth consecutive Ivy win. The Crimson now has only three games, one against rugged Brown and two with second division Princeton and Yale, to defend its Ivy crown successfully.

Harvard started the match with reserve wings Demetrio Mena and Chris Papagianis, and second team halfback Bezo Cutler. Unable to settle the ball, the Crimson found itself on the defensive throughout the period.

Crimson goalie Shep Messing, who played the first half of the game, came far out of the net to break up several Quaker threats.

But in the second quarter, Harvard created several dangerous rushes, one leading to a four-on-two break and the other leaving Charlie Thomas with a shot from ten yards out that hit the crossbar. Scoring appeared to be only a matter of time.

Toward the middle of the second period, Phil Kydes stole the ball at midfield and fed Pete Bogovich, who quickly passed to Thomas. Thomas pulled the defense to him and then hit Sol Gomez on the right wing. Gomez beat two fullbacks with his fancy footwork and put a five-yard shot past goalie Alex Spector.

The Crimson goal seemed to take the life out of Penn, and the pace of the game slowed until the half.

In the third period, Harvard penetrated deep into the Quakers' penalty area but never got a direct shot on goal. Finally, in the fourth period, Harvard clinched the victory on a penalty kick by Bogovich.

The play started on a long pass to Gomez. The Harvard captain headed the ball over the fullback line and then outfaced Penn's John Vroman to the ball. With Spector at his mercy, Gomez dribbled to within six feet of the net before Vroman deliberately tripped him from behind. Bogovich connected on the penalty kick before Spector could even make a move to stop the ball.

Thomas single-handedly completed the rout a few minutes later. Taking the ball at midfield; he cut in, out, and in again, leaving two defenders on the seat of their pants. All alone in front, Thomas drilled the ball past a helpless Spector.

Bill Meyers caught several dangerous cornerkicks in the final period to preserve the shutout. Meyers and Messing have combined to produce two consecutive Ivy shutouts.

Three individuals played outstanding games despite injuries. Kydes had a severe charley horse from the Tufts game, Emmanuel Ekama a sore foot, and Chris Wilmot a pulled tendon in the back of his foot.

Penn, now 4-2-2, is virtually eliminated from the Ivy league race and is a dubious selection for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic playoffs.