Dartmouth started the squash season with more ambitions hopes than usual this winter after compiling its best record in a decade 7-6 last year, but no matter how ambitions the Indians are, they are not expecting to down Harvard in this afternoon's match in Hanover.

Big Green captain Geoff Scott is ranked fifth in the country by the Intercollegiate Squash Association and has won both his contests this season without too much trouble. Two years ago, when Harvard's top-ranked Anil Nayar Jost a game, it was to Scott, 15-13.

So there is certainly a possibility that Scott could beat Larry Terrell, the Crimson captain and number one player, in one of their games today.

But Terrell, after playing in Nayar's shadow for so long, won an invitational intercollegiate tournament in New York recently and is probably the best college competitor in the country. Scott, therefore, must be considered an underdog, though a talented one.

"The chances of team victory are slim," Dartmouth coach John Kenfield acknowledged, "but the match between Scott and Terrell should be one of the best of the season."

Another interesting match should develop at the number two spot. Fritz Hobbs has not recovered completely from his illness, so Fernando Gonzalez will be playing in his position again. Gonzalez-who was not too pleased with the way he played Monday against M.I.T.-is trying to end a three-game losing streak.

Dartmouth's Justin Stanley, a junior, is the one Gonzalez must beat. Stanley lost a thriller to Williams' Jack McBroom early this season after several comebacks, and then beat M. I. T.'s Bob McKinley in five extremely close games to even his record at 1-1 McKinley downed Gonzalez Monday.

John Ince's task at number three should be demanding, though he should be able to defeat junior Jim Smith.

Dartmouth has real problems lower on the ladder. Despite winning at the first three positions against M. I. T., the Big Green took the match by only a 5-4 margin.

Dartmouth must rely on sophomores who just haven't developed enough, and in a match against Harvard, which is known for its great depth, the Indians will have difficulty winning a single match against the Crimson's bottom six.

Pete Abrams will not compete tonight, so the Harvard lineup behind Ince will be Eddie Atwood, Dave Fish, Jaime Gonzalez, Paul Brown. Alan Quasha, and Reggie Foster.