Crimson Soccer Varsity to Meet Dangerously Weak Lions Today

The Columbia Soccer team simply can't qualify as one of your all-time great soccer squads. Only six lettermen returned from the Lions' 1962 third place Ivy team, and coach Joe Molder has failed to unearth enough men with talented feet to round out a solid eleven. In three games, Columbia has scored one goal-none in its two Ivy games-while being blasted for nine by its opponents.

One may safely infer, therefore, that the Lions' have little offensive punch and a not-too-rugged defense and logically conclude that their game this morning against the Crimson varsity on the B-school field will be an extremely close one which could conceivably result in a Columbia upset victory.

A Grand Tradition

For the varsity soccer team has displayed signs recently of developing a habit very familiar to seasoned observers of the Harvard sporting scene: losing games in which it is favored, though winning ones against powerful opponents. This year the soccer team ably demonstrated its ability to carry on this grand tradition by losing to M.I.T. and just scraping by Cornell.

Thus the Lions face the Crimson this morning armed with their potent weapon of weakness. Probably unfortunately for the New Yorkers, they do possess certain elements of strength. Jon Newman, their goalie, has been superb in his three performances to date despite the lack of support from his teammates.

Coach Molder is even optimistic about getting him some support today. He feels his team has been improving while absorbing a 5-0 defeat from Princeton and a 4-0 beating at the hands of Yale. This week he hopes to see a better coordinated team offense led by last year All-Ivy Steve Robinson, captain Don Anyanwu, and rapidly improving Wally Schuls.

The Crimson will probably take the field in top physical condition and gross over-confidence, a mental weakness which could prove as debilitating as any physical injury. The Crimson halfback line which collapsed against M.I.T. seemed to recover some of its stride against Cornell last week, a recovery which coach Bruce Munro would undoubtedly like to see continue today.

Despite the improving halfback line, however, with the exception of the Amherst game, the varsity's offense so far has been woefully weak. Munro has been running the squad through offensive drills all week in an effort to solve the Crimson's inability to get off an adequate number of shots during a game.

Defensively the team has been playing pretty good soccer, however. Lou Williams and Wally Winslow give the Crimson a really fine pair of fullbacks and Wally Whitney and Jim Tyng, both excellent goalies, are still vying with each other for permanent starting honors.