Predun, Mleczko Pace Crimson Lacrosse Teams

Trailing 6-5 late in the first half, the Crimson stickmen reeled off 12 straight tallies last night and went on to burn B.C., 19-8. Freshman Pete Predun, relatively quiet since his ten-point debut three weeks ago, exploded again last night for seven goals to pace the Harvard surge.

For almost a full half, it looked like the game would go down to the wire. Predun garnered a pair of goals and added an assist to stake Harvard to an early 3-0 bulge.

But Mark Young got the Eagles their first tally and then Ward Bitter, the team's leading scorer, pumped home a long shot to bring B.C. close.

Freshman Gary Pedroni, playing on midfield for the first time this year, converted a pass from Steve Martin to put Harvard on top, 4-2.

Within only 37 seconds, however, the Eagles surged back to tie, scoring on a fast break and then watching one of the Crimson defensemen accidentally kick the ball into his own net.

Mike Faught, taking the place of injured Bobby Mellen on the man-up unit, put the Crimson back into the lead with a power-play tally, but Joe Gartland and Bitter answered to give the home-standing Eagles their first and last lead, 6-5.

With less than a minute left before intermission, Martin passed off to Predun for the tying score. Everyone expected the same dogfight to continue in the final 30 minutes, but it was an entirely different Harvard team that took the field after the intermission.

The Crimson were outshot in the third period, 12-10, but worked their offense with such precision that they connected on eight of their opportunities, as B.C. came up empty.

First, middle Gordie Nelson scored on a sweep to give the visitors the lead. Then Jerry Keleher bulled his way through a trio of defenders for goal number eight. Next, it was Nelson on another sweep and Jim Egasti with a one-handed shot, and Harvard was in command, 10-6.

The Crimson defense went on to stifle B.C. for the rest of the game, allowing only two goals, while Predun, with four more goals, and Martin, who finished with five assists, ran a Crimson attack that never let up.