Green Hosts Crimson

The Harvard men's soccer team was in a do-or-die situation at Boston University last Wednesday--win and keep post-season hopes alive, lose and stay in the race for an NCAA bid.

The Crimson left Nickerson Field in a coma.

Harvard tied the Terriers, 0-0, in overtime to extend its period of purgatory until today's game against Dartmouth in Hanover, N.H.

With a loss and a pair of ties in New England, the Crimson (5-2-2 overall, 2-0 Ivy League) is forced to win the rest of its regional games to be considered by the tournament selection committee. The Big Green (5-3 overall, 1-1 Ivy League) is sixth in the regional rankings one slot behind Harvard, and can do nothing but gain from today's contest.

Harvard has been perfect in Ivy action--shutting out both Columbia (1-0) and Cornell (2-0)--but Dartmouth should prove to be its biggest league challenge to date. The Green lost a tough match-up to Princeton--a suprising league leader with a 4-0 record--but defeated Penn, 3-1, at home.

The Crimson's coma is largely a result of scoring difficulties. But the Green has been no more alive.

Junior midfielder Paul Baverstock leads the Crimson in point production with three goals and three assists for nine points. Classmate Nick D'Onofrio trails by two, with three goals and one assist for seven points.

Despite netting a season-high five goals in a shutout of New Hampshire last Wednesday, Dartmouth has yet to get a scorer in double digits. A pair of seniors are tied for the top spot--both forward Doug MacGinnitie and midfielder Andrew Shue have three goals and three assists (nine points apiece).

Senior goalkeeper Stephen Hall, who has started all nine games this season, will be looking for his third straight shutout in today's contest. The Green's Gregg Lemkau (1.27 goals-against-average and three shutouts) will be in the opposite net.

Crimson Coach Mike Getman will have his full squad dressed for the second straight game after seeing key players sit out with injuries through much of the first half of the season.