Ivy Soccer Championship on the Line As Harvard Booters Challenge Brown

The television crews might be covering the football game but the bout for the Ivy League Championship is on the Business School field today pitting the Harvard soccer team against nationally 10th ranked Brown at 10:30.

Both teams sport perfect 5-0 Ivy League records and the match will produce the Ivy League champion. Either team is also assured of a second-place finish.

The Bruins, a perennial soccer power in the Ivies, seem to be one of coach Cliffe Stevenson's most talented teams in recent years. From goalie to forward they are loaded with talent, featuring Mike Hampden at the goal and sophomore forward Fred Pereira and Dan Frazier. Pereira has broken the single-season scoring record for Brown with 24 points, (19 goals) while Fraizer has 12 points, (8 goals).

Brown has won 11 straight Ivy League games, and its season this year was marred only by UConn in a 1-0 loss. Brown's explosive offense has racked up spectacular scores this season including: 4-0 against Providence College, 18-1 against Boston U., 5-1 at U.RI., 5-3 against Dartmouth and 5-1 against Army.

Bruin coach Stevenson, however, did not say that his team was the favorite in the contest. He predicted that the game would be exciting and added that Harvard has an excellent team.

On the other hand, Ford suggested that Harvard was under no pressure in the game. He said he felt that the team had progressed admirably while they were supposed to be "rebuilding" and, added that the Crimson had nothing to lose in the game.

No Game Plan

Ford said that he has not devised any special game plan to face Brown. Stevenson said he also has not devised any special plans for the occasion. Brown, however, operates out of a variety of formations. A contest feature is the sweeper at the backs but the number of halfbacks and forwards changes from opponent to opponent and play to play. Their formation varies from a 5-2-3 to a 4-2-4 to a 3-3-3-1.

Ford, apparently convinced of his winning ways, has conducted conditioning drills almost exclusively in three practices this week, and simple ball-handling drills for the rest.

Ford, however, is not operating with a simple strategy in mind. His game plan is complex, because though his initial formation is simple, options abound, and Ford has proven his tactical skill in utilizing them.

But most important is the factor of the individual Harvard player himself. He is no longer the well-conditioned machine that only tried to get to position hoping to intercept a pass or crowd a situation. They are by now individual players who know exactly how they fit into the team--possessing skills promised at the beginning of the season by Ford.

In practice they run drills which include heading the ball continuously for the full length of the penalty area, bouncing it on their thighs while running, and then chipping it with their heels well enough to make any reporter who has said that they do not possess individual ball handling skills eat his pencil.

The rebuilding has been accomplished. Today the Crimson challenges the Ivy champions for the crown.