M. Soccer Ready to Harvest Cornell

Crimson is a lot better than just plain red, don't you think?

The men's soccer team is hoping so as the Crimson prepares to take on the Cornell Big Red tomorrow at Ohiri Field. It will be the 60th time the two teams have battled in a rivalry dating back to 1908.

Harvard enters tomorrow's game fresh off a week of rest, having last played on October 2nd at Pennsylvania. The Crimson (2-4-1,1-2 Ivy), who beat the Quakers 2-0 for their first Ivy League win, is riding a two game winning streak after going winless in its first five games.

Harvard has been looking heavily towards the play of its freshmen, as well as its talented array of international players. In its last two victories, game-winning goals have come from freshmen Mike Peller and Nick Lenicheck, and they have been further supported by other freshmen.

The play of the freshmen would not be possible without leadership from experienced upperclassmen. Captain Andrew Lundquist and senior goalkeeper Jordan Dupuis are two of the team's leaders on the field. Harvard also profits from its group of international players who hail from countries like England, Nigeria, Croatia and New Zealand.

Unfortunately, the Crimson must now do without junior midfielder Ryan Keeton who, constantly nagged by a pair of bad ankles and a broken toe, bowed out for the season this week. Keeton, a regular starting midfielder, used his golden touch to set up many a Crimson forward, and thus was key to the Crimson's offensive attack.

Despite the loss of Keeton, Harvard seems more confident now than at any other point in the season. Dupuis' prophecy that the Crimson's first win this season was "a turning point" may be materializing.

"We play well at times," Harvard Coach Steve Locker said after the victory over Penn. "It's a growing process, but I'm real pleased with the direction we're heading."

Cornell enters tomorrow after a 1-0 overtime victory over Syracuse in Ithaca on Wednesday. The victory stopped a short two game skid for the Big Red (3-5-0,1-1).

Cornell's four seniors give it more experience than the Crimson, but they pale in respect to international flavor. With only one recruited player from outside the U.S., Cornell will be forced to contend with five Harvard players recruited from international soil.

The Big Red has been relying on a steady cast of characters, beginning with forward James Lukezic. The 6'2" junior leads Cornell with 11 points on the year including four goals in only seven games.

Sophomore Richard Stimpson also contributed last game with the game-winning goal against Syracuse. The Cheshire, England native returns as the reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year, a member of last year's Ivy League First Team, and an eight goal scorer en route to 18 season points.

Co-captains Sean McKenna and David Carlos lead the Big Red. McKenna, without a point this year, is the returning team MVP and is coming back from a summer in the prestigious Adidas Summer League. Carlos enters tomorrow with three goals and eight points.

The Crimson is looking to improve upon last year's performance that saw it battle Cornell to a 2-2 tie in Ithaca. Harvard squandered a 1-0 lead in the first half. In the second half, Crimson back Chinezi Chijioke gave the Crimson a 2-1 lead, only to see his team relinquish the lead again as the Big Red tied the game for good with 23:00 remaining.

Nevertheless, Harvard owns a 32-17-10 lifetime record against the Big Red, and is looking for more this weekend.

"We've practiced hard this week, and we know we still have a good chance in the Ivy League," freshman forward Marko Soldo said. "We want to qualify for the NCAA [tournament]. The team is pumped up and very focused, so that's a good sign for [tomorrow's] game."