The picked American team played their second match, preparatory to leaving for Europe, against our nine on Saturday. Several hundred people gathered in and around Jarvis to see the game, the majority being outside the fence as usual. The rain of the morning made the ground rather slippery and many times the players fell in trying to dodge their opponents. Our team was weakened by the loss of Hood, who was suffering from a sore hand, and of Henry, who came on the field late. Game was called at 3.30, Abbot facing the ball with his opponent in the centre of the field. The American team have got well together since their first match, and being individually fine players, the ball was forced at once towards Harvard's goal. The defence of our team at once had their hands full to keep the ball away as fast as the Americans rushed it towards goal. Easton made several very fine stops of swift balls, and several times kept grounders from being forced through the flags in dangerous scrimmages. Rueter and Goodale seemed everywhere when the ball neared the goal, and each made many fine plays. After twenty-three minutes, Stewart threw the ball, which caromed on another stick and went through the goal.
The teams, after a short rest, played the remaining seven minutes of the half without anything being scored by either side, although the advantage lay rather with Harvard, now strengthened by the presence of Henry, who materially aided the forward field. Time was called for ten minutes, and then the men set to work for another half hour. The ball was worked down towards our goal and by a pretty pass from Simpson to Nichols, the latter scored a goal at the end of three minutes, the quickest of the game. Sides were changed at once, and the ball went back and forth with great rapidity, Henry doing some lively work in the forward field, while several of the Americans did some fast running and beautiful passing. Luck was against Harvard, for at the end of eleven minutes the ball was passed quickly to Simpson who threw the third goal. The playing after this improved considerably on both sides. Harvard's play especially was very steady, and the team work more noticeable. The
[Continued on fourth page.]
[Continued from first page.]
four defence men, Goodale, Rueter, Williams and Bradford, proved too much for their opponents, and kept the ball well away from our goal. As a result nothing more was scored, and the game ended with the result of 3 to 0 in favor of the American team. Throughout the match the defence of the other side was clearly an over-match for our weakened offence, who seemed unable to keep the ball at their end of the field for any length of time. The Americans outran our team and excelled in throwing. For them, Gilmore and Nichols, Harvard's representatives, excelled in offence, and Davis, Cottle and Hodge, worked well on defence.
The result of the game was to be expected, as such a selection of picked men, all old players, playing well, have an advantage over any single club which is likely to have some raw material at the beginning of the season. Their opponents complimented our team on their play, and with good solid work said they ought to do well in their coming college games.
The teams and positions were as follows : American, Wheeler, goal ; Hodge, point; Davis, cover point ; Cottle, Gerndt and Hall, defence field ; Balch, centre ; Gilmore, Nichols and Simpson, attack field ; Stewart and Johnson, homes. Harvard, Easton, goal ; Reuter, point ; Goodale, cover point ; Williams, Bradford and Churchill, defence field ; Abbot, centre ; Roundy, Henning and Henry, attack field ; Noyes and Woods, homes.
Read more in News
Tennis Notes.