Varsity Soccer Triumphs Despite Injured Starters

MIDDLETOWN, Conn., Nov. 14--The varsity soccer team, slipped, slid, and fought its way to a 3-2 upset victory over Wesleyan today. Playing without five of its starters, Harvard downed the Cardinals on a soggy, mud-choked Wesleyan field.

After a second period scoring surge of three goals, the Crimson clung to its one-goal lead through the second half of play to gain its seventh victory in nine games. Al Change, playing center forward in place of the injured Chris Ohiri, scored the first two goals, and Doug Gifford kicked the third and winning count into the nets.

The contest was a fast-paced, seesaw affair, with accurate passing up and down the muddy field. But except for the Crimson-dominated second period, neither team could sustain an offensive drive in the slippery going.

With five first-string players on the injured list, the Crimson first and second team combination couldn't find its bearings in the opening period. Taking advantage of this initial lapse, Wesleyan scored first, midway through the period.

The Harvard offense came to life in the second period as the ball left Wesleyan's half only three times. One minute after the start of the period, Chang headed a beautiful cross from right outside Sam Rodd past the Red goalie to tie the score.

Four minutes later, Chang took a pass from Mike Kramer, the left outside, suckered the Wesleyan goal-tender out of the nets, and falling backwards, barely trickled the ball by him for the score.

Gifford Nets Winning Tally

The preasure on the Wesleyan goal continued unabated for the next ten minutes. Finally Doug Gifford, digging the ball out of the slime and a pile of players in front of the goal, slipped it in to complete the Crimson scoring for the day.

Goalie John Adams was the victim of the miserable playing conditions on both Wesleyan tallies. On the first period score, the wet ball squirted out of his arms into the goal.

The second Red goal came in the last minnte of play of the first half. Three times Adams charged out of the nets after the ball. Three times he couldn't quite reach it. Twice Crimson fullbacks cleared the ball from the open goal, but on the third try Wesleyan right inside Joe Sipples booted the ball in.