Crimson Hopes to Boot Penn

It was the Harvard men's soccer team's worst nightmare.

In its final game of the 1986 regular season, the Crimson took the field against Penn. Harvard had an NCAA playoff berth, an 8-3-2 overall record and an unblemished Ivy League mark. Penn hadn't won a league game all season.

The game should have been a pitstop on the way to Harvard's NCAA first-round contest scheduled for two days later. But the Crimson--too busy looking to the finish line--got burned by the Quakers, 3-0.

Today Harvard (11-0-2 overall, 5-0 Ivy) hosts Penn at Ohiri Field for its final game before post-season bids are announced. The Crimson is already counting on an NCAA bid--its undefeated record puts it at the top of the New England rankings. As the league leader, Harvard is also counting on a least a share in its first Ivy title since 1970.

But this time the Crimson isn't going to discount the Quakers.

"We're going to be up for the Penn game," Harvard sophomore forward Dave Kramer said. "People are gearing toward that game. We're in good position, but we still have to concentrate, and work on the little things."

Statistically, the Quakers look even more challenging than they did last year because of their 2-2-1 league record and 6-5-3 overall mark. But the Quakers have struggled recently, tying seventh-place Princeton last weekend and losing to Temple Wednesday.

Forwards Chris Barlow (four goals, four assists for 12 points) and Richie Baruch (4-0--8) lead Penn's offensive attack, while goalie Mark Tepper has a 1.23 goals-against-average and 74 saves on the season.

Despite remaining undefeated, Harvard has yet to hit its late-season stride. After playing tournament-quality soccer last weekend against Brown, the Crimson had one of its worst games in a 2-1 triumph Wednesday at UMass.

"We should be rolling," junior backfielder Louis Lyons said.

With backs Nick Gates, Gian D'Ornellas and Roger Chapman off the injury list, the Harvard defense looks to be strong in today's contest. And with junior Stephen Hall (1.01 g.a.a.) in net, the Quakers will be hard-pressed to repeat last year's three-goal performance.

"The offense is clicking, the defense is solid and Stephen's been playing great," Kramer said. "We'll be up for the Ivies."