Varsity Soccer Stars Destroy Columbia Team, 7-2

It took two periods of play to do it, but the varsity soccer team finally shook off its pre-game lethargy, converting a relatively tight contest into a 7-2 rout of-Columbia. Saturday's fray on the Business School field also featured a hat-trick by senior star Chris Ohiri, who needs only six more goals in the next five games to top his own Ivy season record of ten.

Columbia started the game surprisingly strong for a team universally touted as the league doormat for this year. Beaten repeatedly to loose balls in the Crimson zone, varsity backs had to play a long-kick game for most of the first half, instead of resorting to the short passing strategy that coach Bruce Munro advocates. A number of Columbia drives failed, nevertheless, to produce a score, and at the end of the period John Thorndike booted a ball bouncing around before the Ligh Blue nets past the goalie.

A screen kick by the Columbia inside tied the score early in the second period. Ohiri then headed in a pass to put the Crimson ahead for good. At the close of the half, center half Dave Clapp found himself alone with the ball about 30 feet from the nets and decided to shoot. The Columbia goalie was unable to stop the blast, although he had a hand on the ball.

The Light Blue scored immediately at the start of the second half, and took several close shots that almost tied the score, but the Crimson backs were finally able to control play. Halfback passing to the line set up Ohiri's second goal, which was followed by a scoring boot from wing Sam Thompson. The Columbia team seemed to lose its nerve after the double disaster, and took no more shots in the game.

That scoring spree in the second half indicated that shooting and passing drills, on which the team spent all of last week's practices, have had their effect on the forwards. Fullbacks Terry Winslow and captain Lou Williams played their usually efficient game, and the halfbacks, particularly Rob Knapp, Lawrie Coburn, and Clapp, performed well in backing up the second half offensive.