The varsity lacrosse team faces a strong squad at the University of Massachusetts today as the Crimson tries to improve its 1-4 record. U Mass is the favorite, with 11 lettermen returning from last year's 10-2 team. The Redmen excel on attack, where their starters are last season's top three scorers--Charlie Hardy, Paul Ritch and John Nagel.

Attackman Hardy goes into today's match with 14 goals and 22 assists, while Ritch has compiled 18 points. The Redmen's offense has scored an impressive 76 goals in their six games so far this season.

The UMass midfield also shows strength, with co-captain Dana Stone leading a group of five veterans. Stone, Dwight Blomquist and Hirsch Seidman play Harvard at the Crimson's strongest position, its first midfield.

The defensemen for U Mass have talent but lack experience. Two of the three starters are freshmen, while the third took up lacrosse only last year, when he played goalie.

Despite the Redmen's rookie defense, Harvard will be hard-pressed to outscore UMass. The Crimson offense has tallied only 25 times in five games, and its top scorer, John Hagerty, leads Harvard's attack with 12 points, one-third as many as Hardy has for UMass.

Throughout the season, Harvard's strongest performance has come from its starting midfieldmen--co-captains Verdi DiSesa and Bob Green, and junior Garth Ballantyne.

However, to defeat the Redmen, the Crimson's first three midfields will have to control the ball more successfully than they have in any previous game. Harvard is weak defensively, with only one veteran player

Harvard is weak defensively, with only one veteran player. The Crimson has given up 5-4 goals in five games, while UMass has allowed 28 tallies in six matches.

The Redmen currently hold a 4-2 record, having crushed their last two opponents, Holy Cross and Tufts, by scores of 19-2 and 20-1. Last season, U Mass lost to Harvard, 7-6, in overtime.