Stickmen To Face Penn in Ivy Opener

About the only thing the Crimson stickmen can boast after dropping their first five games is a clean Ivy record, but even that will be in jeopardy when they host Ivy powerhouse Penn today on home turf at 2 p.m.

Penn, which finished third in the Ivies last year with a 4-2 record, fields its strongest team in four years, according to coach Jim Adams. One indicator in the Crimson's favor is the fact that Rutgers whipped the Quakers, 11-6, as well as Harvard, by 11-4. But the experience alone of the Red and Blue is overwhelming.

The Quakers enter today's tilt with a 2-2 slate, having taken consecutive victories over Penn State (13-7) and Yale (12-3). At defense, Penn's entire first string from last year returns intact to terrorize opposing offenses. The only position weakened by graduation was goal, but Lew Green will be minding nets today.

At midfield, all but one man on last year's two top units returns, but Steve Solow, second team all-American and two-time all-Ivy, will lead the scoring threat.

So far this season, Jon Bock and Steve Cohen at attack have been the most prolific scorers, but it is here that they must confront Harvard's depth, with Crimson stickers Charlie Kittredge, Carter McDowell, Tom Scott, and Jim Taliaferro.

At midfield, the Crimson will be banking on the return of Bob Frisbie, who missed the Williams game, to add some finesse to a unit that has failed to control the ball. Garth Ballantyne and Al Costello will probably start also.

Penn middies Irv Brookstein, and Steve Cooper, with three goals apiece, and Bob Kilkowski and Jon Bock, with two, paced the Quakers in the Yale game, which may parallel today's contest. Last year, the Red and Blue took a 13-4 decision, but the Crimson won the 1971 confrontation, 13-3.