Booters Riddle Wesleyan Defense, 6-1; Adedeji Leads Barrage With Three Goals

Playing against the strongest opposition so far this season, the Harvard soccer team overwhelmed Wesleyan at the Business School Field yesterday, 6-1.

Felix Adedeji once again led the offense with three goals, and Russ Bell and Phil Kydes each added one. Fullback Chris Wilmot scored his second goal of the season on a penalty kick in the third quarter.

Even though the Cardinals came into the game undefeated and ranked third in New England, coach Terry Jackson wasn't overly optimistic before the game. "If Harvard plays together, we'll be out of the game, that's all there is to it. We'll just have to try to overcome their greater finesse with teamwork," he said.

A Chance

For the first ten minutes it looked as if Wesleyan had a chance for an upset. They gained an early lead on a penalty shot, and their fast, well-drilled backs were controlling the middle of the field and picking off Harvard's through passes.

Phil Kydes was instrumental in getting the Crimson attack rolling. After creating several dangerous situations with short passes into the middle, he set up the first goal with a pass to Adedeji on the right side. Shooting with virtually no angle, Adedeji beat the goalie with a low hard shot to the opposite corner.

Moments later Kydes set up an identical situation, and when Adedeji lost control of the ball in a scramble, Bell scored on an open net.

During the game Wesleyan tried several different defensive alignments, and at this point they shifted it into a 4-3-3 formation. Rather than meet the Harvard attack at midfield, the Wesleyan defense played back, hoping that the additional men in the penalty area would negate the finesse of the Harvard forwards.

Flip Shot

However, Harvard scored once more before the end of the first half when Kydes hit the lower left corner with a flip shot over his head.

Harvard got its fourth goal early in the third period on Wilmot's penalty shot, and Wesleyan's spirit was completely broken when Shep Messing thwarted two excellent scoring opportunities, one of them a break-away.

Harvard's last two goals were set up by linkman Emanuel Ekama. After drawing the defense to the left side, Ekama sent a pass across the middle, and Adedeji beat the goalie to the ball for a goal.

Adedeji completed the scoring when Edama hit him with a short pass across field. Adedeji dribbled in close and drew three fullbacks and the goalie out of position before rolling the ball into them middle of the goal. It was his seventh goal of the season, and sixth in the last two games.

Adedeji

"We were trying to draw the defense to one side and then quickly shift fields," Adedeji said after the game. "When I get the ball I pretend that I'm not moving to attract attention, and when the defense surrounds me, I sweep the ball to the other side. And when Charlie Thomas and Phil Kydes are dribbling in the middle, the defense forgets about me and I'll be open."

Linkman Rick LaCivita played with Adedeji on last year's freshman team and is a student of his dribbling prowess. "Felix runs the ball along with the bottom of his foot. He draws defenders by leaving the ball way out in front, and when they attack he bounces the ball over their outstretched feet. Felix' spikes are like fingers on a basketball," LaCivita said.

Doubtful

Phil Axten remains a doubtful starter due to a possible concussion, but otherwise the team is physically sound for the big game against Cornell on Saturday at Ithaca.

Since beating Hartwick two weeks ago, Cornell has been rated fourth in the nation by the NCAA, Harvard is ranked fifth.