The Soccer Notebook

An omen? An expectation? A jinx?

Late in the Harvard men's soccer team's 1-0 triumph over Columbia last Saturday, a Harvard manager carried a stretcher and a pair of crutches over to the Harvard bench.

Last year those items would have been in great demand. The player who didn't sit out with an injury was a rarity in 1987.

But Crimson Coach Mike Getman didn't expect to order tape and ice wholesale this season. "Fit" and "injury-free" were supposed to be the catch-words of this year's squad.

Granted, junior forward Derek Mills and senior goalie Stephen Hall have been wearing quite a bit of tape on their legs recently. And Captain Robert Bonnie has been seen limping more than once. But a stretcher? And crutches? Let's not call out the ambulance yet.

Getman didn't know why the stretcher was carried to the bench.

Heard on the Sidelines: Getman after a questionable call in last Wednesday's opener against MIT: "That's all right. It's early in the season for the referees too."

Baring All for the Call: Sophomore sweeper Nick Gates was willing to give anything for a win against Columbia--even his shirt. After taking a Lion down on a tackle midway through the second half, the Columbia forward responded by stomping on his chest. So Gates retaliated, and drew the attention of one of the referees. To illustrate his version of the run-in, Gates decided to lift up his shirt and display the imprint of the Lion's cleats.

Gates' display was understandable--the first time.

Minutes later, when senior Ken Ruoff was given a red card in a frontfield scuffle, Gates raced up the field--baring his chest--to remind the referee that the other side is just as brutal.

But the official had already slapped the Columbia player with a red card as well.

"Well, I just like showing the crowd my chest," Gates explained.

Nothing in Net: The Harvard defense has yet to be scored upon, with senior keeper Hall earning a pair of shutouts last week. Hall had help from classmate Chad Reilly in the MIT game. Reilly came in with Harvard already ahead 1-0 and held the Engineers scoreless for the final 46 minutes of action.

Almost Point-less: With only two goals scored so far this season, the Harvard scoring leaders list is not crowded. Not surprisingly, juniors Dave Kramer and Mills are tied for first with one goal apiece (two points each), while juniors Paul Baverstock and Nick D'Onofrio and sophomore Gates each earned one point for their assists. Mills led the team in scoring two years ago as a rookie, while Kramer finished the 1987 season with a team-high 24 points.

Right on Target Out of the shadow of All-America Nick Hotchkin, who drew raves for his speed and skill in left midfield last season, senior right midfielder Ramy Rajballie has proved to be just as skillfull on the Crimson attack.

Rajballie has been the most consistent Harvard player in the early season, and his squad knows it.

"Ramy's our most reliable player," junior Roger Chapman said. "We know if we give him the ball he can beat any opponent."

The left midfield position remains a question on the Crimson roster.

GAMES THIS WEEK

WED, 3:00 UConn

Univ. of Hartford Tourney

SAT, 4:00 Fresno St.

SUN, 4:00 Hartford