Soccer Team Faces Amherst Today

Local enthusiasm should ace some of the best soccer of the season this afternoon as Amherst's New England intercollegiate Championship team invades the business School field 1:30 p.m. for its annual game with the Crimson. The Purple and White rolled over Harvard, 2 to 0, last year on their way to the championship, and the Crimson has been awaiting the comeback engagement over since.

Before last Saturday Amherst boasted an undefeated string of 13 straight wins dating back to the 1948 season. Wesleyan's second half rally cut the skein, 4 to 2, but the Jeffs still boast one of the hotted offenses is the league.

The top three scorers in the New England league make up the center of the Amherst line--Howie Burnett at center forward with eight, and Ash Elaine and Paul Coon at the left and right insides with five apiece.

Through-the-Center Offense

Important to which this afternoon will be how well the Crimson defense in able to contain a powerful center-of-the-line offense. Harvard opponents so far this season have fielded either strong left side attacks (Haverford, Penn, Army, and Dartmouth), or a strong right side (Connecticut), or power on the wings (Springfield).

And the Crimson defense has been a thing of uncertainly for Coach Bruce Munro during the past week. Charley Ufford, mainstay of the fullback line, will be out with an infected shin.

With Pants Pantalconi and Ben Florin still bothered by leg injuries, right half back Bob Harding is the only healthy remnant of last week's regular defensive lineup.

Loss of Ufford Hurts

"Ordinarily we would be just about ripe to take Amherst," Coach Munro commented last night, "but Ufford's loss is a severe blow. They'll have a fight on their hands, though."

As things stand now, impressive newcomer Bill Engstrom will take the left halfback clot, with Pantaleoni and Harding at center and right half. Engstrom turned in a particularly good job against Springfield, smothering the left side of their attack. Humph Doermann will fill in at left fullback as Florin moves over to right full.

Dick Craven will again take the goal. Craven's average of over 15 saves per game has been a large factor in plugging the defense to keep the Crimson winning.

Ben Goldstein, Charlie Weiss, and Vern Drehmel will form the right side punch, with Captain Ted Wolf moving to left outside and sophomore Dana Getchell moving into the vacant left inside post