Harvard-Yale soccer games do not draw the frantic attention that their gridiron counterparts get. Publicity men are mimeographing reams of releases about this Saturday's football game, but neither Yale's verbose Charley Loftus nor the H.A.A.'s Hank Johnson knew yesterday the all-time standings in Crimson-Blue soccer, or even when the series began.

But the fact that the rivalry could not be traced further back than 1919 will not detract from Friday's game at New Haven. It will be sufficient motivation for Crimson seniors Pete Churchill, John Hadik, Stacey Holmes, Bill Lingelbach, Denny Little and Hugh Sargent that they go into their final game without over having beaten Yale. Last year Yale won, 2 to 0; when they were sophomores the Elis triumphed, 3 to 0, and the Bulldogs edged the '56 freshman team 1 to 0 in November, 1952.

There is more to Friday's story than tradition, however. The game features what are certainly the two best teams in New England, and probably the two best in the Ivy League. The winner is almost sure to take the New England League championship, and must carry off at least a tie for Ivy honors as well. If Yale wins, the Elis clinch the Ivy title, since they now lead the League with four wins and one tie. The Crimson, tied for second with Pennsylvania at four wins and a loss, must win to stay alive. A Crimson victory would assure a tie for first place, and would lead to an undisputed crown if Cornell, playing on its home field, edges Penn on Saturday.

The Crimson's contending position in the new Ivy Soccer League is well supported by its over-all record. The team's nine wins in eleven starts assures it of its best record since 1948, when the Crimson won eight, lost two, and tied one. A victory or a tie Friday would make it the best season in 17 years, for in 1938 a 3-3 tie with Princeton was the only blot on a record that saw eight wins.

Marked improvement in passing and teamwork generally has been evident since the loss at Pennsylvania two weeks ago, and against Brown last Friday the attack was superbly coordinated. Exactly how well the offense will stand up against a big Yale team that has lost only to Springfield and tied Princeton is a question that will probably decide the issue Saturday. Munro can probably rely on his sturdy defense to hold the Elis pretty well in check.

The depth of the Crimson squad has saved it this season. Several injuries cost the team the services of key starters, but an effective substitute was almost always available. Only two players counted on as starters at the beginning of the season will be absent Saturday. Inside right Dick Fisher and goalie Lindsay Fischer have already played their last games for the Crimson, but Munro has no worries about those positions. Elliot Finkelstein has a string of 205 consecutive scoreless minutes as a goalie, and either Charlie MacVeagh or Bill Lingelbach can be counted on at inside right.

There's no question that the game will be a close one; the issue will be whether the Crimson seniors are to graduate with or without a victory over Yale.