TODAY'S GAMES

J.V. field hockey v. Holy Cross, 3:30 p.m., Soldiers Field.

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

Women's soccer rained out

Patriots Fire

Defensive Coordinator

FOXBORO, Mass.--Rod Rust was fired yesterday as defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, and was replaced by linebacker coach Steve Sidwell.

In announcing the move, head coach Ron Meyer cited the differences in defensive philisophy between himself and Rust, who only lasted midway through his second season.

Meyer said it was "not a spur-of-the-moment" decision and that his dissatisfaction with Rust began before this year's training camp.

The move came three days after one of the poorest defensive performances in the National Football League team's history. In losing to Miami 44-24, the Patricts' defense set club records for most yards allowed in a game (552) and most first downs given up (32).

"The Miami game had very little to do with it," Meyer said of Rust's firing, "although that was part of the picture."

Meyer said Rust, who was defensive coordinator for Kansas City from 1978 to 1981, was shocked by the decision.

Rust was not available for comment.

Meyer, who concentrates on offensive preparations for games, said "there was not a lot of dialogue" between himself and Rust concerning defensive philisophy.

Asked if the firing could have been avoided if Meyer had played a larger role in defensive strategy, he said, "I don't think this could have been avoided."

Sidwell becomes the third defensive coordinator in Meyer's three years as coach of the Patriots. Rust replaced Jim Mora, who left after one year as defensive coordinator to become head coach of the Philadelphia Stars of the United States Football League.

Marathon Prizes

NEW YORK--Women's long-distance runners earned another victory yesterday, when Fred Lebow, director of the New York City Marathon, announced that the top three woman finishers in Sunday's 26-mi., 385-yd, race would receive the same prize money as the men.

Lebow said the biggest supporter for equalizing the financial rewards was New York Mayor Edward I Koch.

The mayor recently had become angry with Lebow when the race organizer, who had been paying prize money to athletes under the table since 1976, disclosed that he would be paying it openly this year.

Once that was revealed, Koch said he felt strongly that the leading finishers among the women should be paid the same amount as the men.

After the two met this week, along with other city officials, it was decided to give each of the winners $25,000, the runners-up $22,000 apiece, and the third-place finishers $18,000.

Before the change, the prize structure for the women had been $22,000, $19,000 and $15,000.

The difference between the men and women begins with the fourth place finishers, with the number four man collecting $13,000 and the number-four woman $11,000.

"It's realistic why there is less prize money for women," explained Lebow, "because the women's participation [in this year's field of 18.365] is only 17 or 18 percent."

Lebow called the distribution of prize money "an expensive land mark," adding. "I would be less than honest if I were not concerned where this will lead us."