Southern Connecticut State Meets Booters in NCAA Regional Playoff

Harvard's undefeated varsity soccer team, ranked first in New England, will join Bridgeport, Brown, and Southern Connecticut State in the NCAA University Division 1 Soccer Tournament scheduled to start on Monday, November 17.

The regional playoff is run on a single elimination basis with the winner of the Division 1 tournament meeting the champion of District 2, the New York state region, for the right to compete in the NCAA semifinals to be held in San Jose, California on December 4-6.

The Crimson, 9-0 for the season, will play Southern Connecticut, 7-2-1 and ranked fourth in New England, on Cumnock field next Monday afternoon. Bridgeport, 8-1-1 and second to Harvard in the District 1 ratings, will challenge third-ranked Brown (7-2-2) on the same afternoon at a site to be announced.

Gutsy Affair

"Playoffs are a really gutsy affair," Harvard's assistant coach Seamus Malin said. "It's a one shot thing and you have to take each match one at a time. All we're thinking of now though is clinching the Ivy title against Brown on Saturday," he added.

If Harvard defeats Southern Connecticut on Monday, the Crimson would get a shot at the winner of the Purple Eagles-Bruins match on Monday, November 24. Since Harvard is ranked first in the New England region, the Crimson would play either opponent at home.

The NCAA District 2 Selection Committee has chosen Hartwick (7-1-1) to face R.P.I. (10-2) in one semifinal, while Adelphi (8-1-3) and N.Y.U. (9-3) square off in the other regional contest. Hartwick is the top-ranked-squad, but N.Y.U. handed the Warriors their first loss on Saturday.

A third Ivy League team. Penn, was also selected in its region, but the first time the Quakers could be paired with Harvard is in San Jose.

The Crimson first accepted a bid to the NCAA playoffs last year, but lost to Army in the opening round 4-1. Previously all Ivy League teams had been disqualified because of the NCAA 1.6 ineligibility ruling.