Winless Laxmen Host Williams Today

The Crimson lacrosse team, battered and still smarting from four losses in a one-week mid-Atlantic tour, comes up for air against Williams today at 3 p.m. in the home opener.

What stands in the path between Harvard and its first win is the loss of three defensemen for at least one game. Charlie Kittredge, who was impressive in a 21-4 shellacking at the hands of the Naval Academy, will miss today's action with a bruised thigh and what Coach Bruce Munro diagnosed yesterday as a separated shoulder.

Starter Carter McDowell, with a sprained ankle, and Larry Uhl, with a charley horse, will also be missing on defense today.

At the other end of the field, captain and attackman John Hagerty is still suffering from a sprained ankle, but will probably join Jim Quinn and Steve Milliken for the whistle today.

Season's Strategy

Munro's greatest difficulties on the season will be supplementing his midfield corps. "There's not the finesse or strength on midfield that we should have," Munro explained yesterday.

Munro's has considered starting Hagerty, a tall player with a good stick, on midfield, a switch which would allow Hagerty to lead his defender behind the goal.

Such tactics help to clear the goal face for cutters by reducing the number of midfielders in the area, and create opportunities for piks behind the goal, freeing attackers momentarily for one-on- one assaults or for feeding.

"I have no hesitation about substituting at attack with either [Jack] Judkins or Fred] Adair," Munro said.

Munro said that Williams has usually presented more threats on offense than defense. "They've usually had quick little attackmen, a couple of good midfielders, and good goalies," he added.

Last season, the stickmen, led by John Hagerty's two goals and four assists, jumped to a 5-0 halftime lead and an 8-4 triumph over the Ephmen.

"In the past, Williams has been a team that we've not had any real sweat about, that we could always be in a game with but not necessarily beat," Munro said.

In order to finance the vacation tour, Munro had to list the training games as official and on the squad's record, which now stands at 0-4. In Ivy stats, where Harvard's only chance for a championship finish exists, the team will have no record until the Penn tilt on home turf this Saturday.