Even an opening-game setback can bode well for a team's season, especially if the opponent carries the nation's top ranking.

So though the Harvard men's lacrosse team fell to Johns Hopkins, 11-3, Saturday in Baltimore, the game raised Crimson hopes of a successful campaign.

The Crimson played well in a match against a better-prepared and more experienced team, controlling the early going but never breaking the ice. Instead, Hopkins got all the scoring, jumping out to a 2-0 first quarter lead.

Springing Leaks

Despite the laxmen's strong showing on defense, Hopkins extended its advantage to 8-1 at the close of the second stanza. Penalties helped sink Harvard, ultimately accounting for half of the Hopkins goals.

Only freshman Tim McCaffrey broke into the Crimson side of the scorebook before halftime.

The defenses improved in the second half, as both teams scored a total of five goals following the fist half's 11. Crimson Tri-Captain Rich Ronald felt the stick men "let down is little but in the second half."

In addition to many extra-main opportunities, Johns Hopkins dominated the match in shooting. The Crimson, however, cut into Hopkins' lead as Rinaldi and freshman Chris Pujols succeeded in slipping two more goals into the Hopkins net.

The Crimson did well to stay with the perennial contenders for much of the game. Last year Hopkins administered a 19-2 drubbing to a Harvard squad that wound up with a 9-4 record. The 1982 laxmen compiled, a 4-2 Ivy mark to earn second in the league. Senior Tri-Captain Tim Pendergrast, who turned i a solid performance in goal, was pleased with the defense in front of him. He credited "some of the younger players who played like juniors and seniors" for Harvard's relative success.

Leoming ahead is one of Harvard's most important games of the year, Saturday's showdown with Cornell. The Big Red was the only them in the Crimson's path toward the Ivy Championship last year, and reversing last year's result would boost the Crimson's shot at a berth in the nationally.

It was good to play well this week going into the Corwell game," Rinaldi said.