Each year coaches and athletic fans look with a hopeful eye at the freshman teams, on the old theory that good freshman athletes make good on the next year's varsity. The old theory doesn't always hold water, but Harvard's hockey coaches are nonetheless jubilant over the material on this year's Yardling sextet. Even tight-lipped varsity coach Cooney Weiland once stated, "they're an excellent team."

Undefeated after seven games, the freshmen play Brown at Providence tomorrow. This is the first time the Yardlings meet a college team. Coach Myles Huntington posted a heavy practice schedule this week to work the team into condition. Tomorrow's game is an important one, since Brown is one of the two or three teams that could crack the hope of an undefeated season.

Huntington has been using a two-platoon system, switching two well balanced teams.

Carl Hathaway has been in the goal consistently. His performances have been good, if not stellar, and he has had an easy time in every game but one, against Belmont Hill, which the freshmen won by a 4 to 3 score. Defensemen on the A team are Ed Mrkonich and Jim Moynihan, one of whom usually manages to stop the opposition before a goal is threatened. Both forward lines have been checking back, providing a tight defense.

Doug Manchester is center on the A line, flanked by Scott Coolidge on the right and Ned Bliss to the left. Bliss has improved with every game, and is usually among the high scorers. Manchester has blossomed into the top attraction during the last two games. His play against Belmont Hill was particularly outstanding.

Captain Bob Marsolais is the key man on the B team. His skating and shooting are as fine as any, although his brilliance is sporadic. Two good wingmen, Frank Mahoney and Pat Pratt, fill out the line. Pratt has improved more than any other man on the squad. Ed Almy and George Buehler, the defensemen, are almost as good as their A team counterparts.

Center John Kelley and wings John Amory and Ed Cooney make up a third combination, although they have seen less action than the first two lines.

Tomorrow's game is at 7 p.m. in the Providence Arena. While too much book-work may have given the sextet rusty joints, their record of having outscored previous opponents 72 to 10 gives the Yardlings a good chance to beat the Bruins.