The buzzards have been gathering over the Business School field since last week waiting to pick off the unpredictable Crimson' soccer team.

After all, Harvard was playing Dartmouth, the number one team in the Ivy League and, most likely, New England. So it was nice having you around the top, guys, see you in a year or two.

But yesterday evening the buzzards were still sihouetted against the stormy sky seeking other prey. The Harvard soccer team came out running yesterday and did not stop until they had posted a 3-1 victory over the Woodsmen.

Upset

Harvard scored quickly at 5:30 on a defense that had previously allowed four goals in seven games, and one sensed that there was an upset in the making. Matt Bowyer plucked an Alberto Villar cross out of the air at 5:30 and Harvard led 1-0. But they did not relax there.

Led by midfielders Mike Smith, Andy Kronfeld and Steve Yacopek, the Crimson bottled up the Dartmouth offense before it could get organized. Harvard dominated play but was unable to add to its advantage.

One series of passes across the field from Bowyer to Lee Nelson to Villar ended with a shot just sailing wide.

In the second half the Dartmouth defense marked Nelson, and the freshman connection of Villar and Walter Diaz took over. Both took turns dribbling past defenders, but Villar missed wide on a semi-breakaway and Diaz hit the post after a cross from Villar.

Diaz got the big insurance goal at 61:30 heading in a corner kick from Bowyer and pandemonium broke loose in the soggy Harvard contingent.

Bedlam

Fourteen minutes later it was bedlam as Diaz slipped Harvard's third goal into the left corner assisted by Villar. Villar snared a loose ball in close, beat Dartmouth's Kent Pierce and fed Diaz in the crease.

Dartmouth added an extra man to its attack and came roaring back with a goal a minute later. Steve Brooks beat Fred Heroldto the far side for an unassisted goal.

The Crimson defense toughened the rest of the way, turning away Dartmouth with diving heads and accurate clears to the wings. John Sanacore was superb as he broke up several spurts down the right side by Woodsmen John Skelton and Mark Schneider.

In the adjacent sub-varsity game, the Crimson was not so successful, coming out on the losing end of a 3-1 game.

Forward Diaz now leads the varsity scorers with eight points in six games. His five goals still trail Nelson's total of six. Bowyer has amassed four points while Villar now has three.

Harvard sports a 4-1-1 record (1-1-1 in the Ivy League) going into non-league games next week against the University of Rhode Island and Boston University. Most importantly, the Crimson has served notice that it is not playing dead against anyone.