Hurricane Gracie permitting, the varsity soccer team will open its season against Tufts this afternoon at 3 p.m. in Medford. The game must be rated a tossup, since little is known about either team at this early stage of the campaign.

The Crimson's fate, coach Bruce Munro said yesterday, hangs largely upon the whims of Gracie. If the expected storms hold off, the small varsity line should be able to work its precision attack to perfection--early-season perfection, at least. But a murky playing field or a driving rain would give the larger Jumbos a definite advantage. Then, too, the weather may become violent enough to postpone the game, as it did last fall.

Munro is still searching for someone to replace departed senior Roger Tuckerman, who led the Ivy League in scoring last year from his center forward post. The center forward makes a team go, and Tuckerman was a particularly effective scorer and play-maker. Keith Lowe, a little 110-pounder, will start tomorrow at center, but it is feared he may be too light for the steady pounding.

Larry Ekpebu, all-Ivy at wing last year, will be given a try at filling the gap left by Tuckerman, but he must resolve doubts about his scoring punch.

The rest of the line is pretty well set, with newcomer Tadgh Sweeney and John McIntosh at the wings and John Hedreen and John Mudd playing inside. The halfback line of Marsh McCall, Bill Rapp, and Charley Steele has sparkled in practice, and Captain Lanny Keyes and Tim Morgan insure a strong fullback defense. Tom Bagnoli and Bob Forbush are equally talented in the nets.