Varsity Booters Collide With Upstart Tigers, Seek to Put Season on Winning Track Again

The varsity soccer team meets Princeton this morning in a game that may determine just how each team will remember this season.

Early in the year, of course, both teams eyed the Ivy League Championship, but it is now clear that this is a goal that neither Harvard nor Princeton will achieve this year.

The winner of today's Brown-Cornell contest will have pretty well wrapped up the title.

Regardless of crown considerations, the 10 a.m. game here still stands as something of a turning point for both teams. For Harvard coach George Ford, the year has been one of transition.

Last year's squad had less talent, but played a determined, disciplined style of soccer, and surprised a lot of people by doing quite well. This year, with more talent, Harvard has played a more wide-open and exciting game.

Consistent Bad Luck

The offense has consequently produced many scoring opportunities, but has been consistently unlucky in trying to turn these into goals. As Ford noted, "The ball just hasn't been going into the net."

Harvard's record stands at 3-5-1 and there are only three games left to play. If the season is going to end on an upswing, with the team gaining momentum for next year, the Crimson would have to start by beating Princeton today. The potential, Ford says, is there. With a little luck, the results will come.

To get the offense back in gear, Ford plans to make one tactical change today.

"In the hope of getting more punch, I think we'll try to give ourselves more strength in midfield," he said. "We've gotten good play from our midfielders this year, but we've lacked a field general to run the attack."

So Ford will move Lyman Bullard to midfield. "Lyman is a most capable, mature player. We've discussed the change with him and he feels that he can manage it; he sees it as a challenge," Ford explained.

As the varsity made its way through the disappointing campaign, there was controversy among the players over Ford's handling of the team. "All that's been squared away," Ford said. "Against Princeton, we want to show that it's all over, that we can play to the best of our abilities."

A Harvard team that is trying to start a constructive finish to its season will face a Princeton squad that must be wondering how good, or bad, it really is.

Before last Saturday, the Tigers had managed only one win in eight starts, and had not gained an Ivy League victory in ten tries dating back to last year. But then Princeton hung a 2-1 upset on a Brown team that has been practically untouchable over the last couple seasons.

Today, for perhaps the first time this year, Princeton will be coming into a game with confidence and momentum on its side.