Two years ago, the Harvard men's soccer team finished sixth in the Ivy League.

A year ago, the squad finished third.

So if you follow that progression, Harvard Coach Jape Shattuck jokes, this year the Crimson ought to finish first.

And considering who finished first a year ago, that's a pretty funny joke.

Because last year, Columbia steamrolled not only to its sixth straight Ivy League crown but also to a second-place national finish. And this year the 1-0 Lions are already ranked second in the country behind Indiana, last year's national champs.

Now, Shattuck was only joking when he made his prediction--the likable Harvard coach openly admits that "Columbia will probably be the dominant team"--but Lion Coach Dieter Ficken isn't joking when he says "Harvard is the team that should be the leading contender [to win the title]."

Beg your pardon, coach?

"I'm serious," Ficken says. "I really believe they've got some great players, and besides, they had a very fine recruiting year."

It might very well be psychological warfare on both sides, but the truth about who's the favorite probably lies somewhere in between.

Columbia, despite losing five starters to graduation and another to injury, will certainly struggle through one of its most challenging campaigns in years. But the Lions will still be the strongest team in the league--they've got depth and a bevy of talent.

Harvard, with only three players lost to graduation, will enjoy, its strongest season in years. And with experience and several outstanding players, the Crimson could come close to winning its first league crown since 1970.

But first, the Cantabs--who must still be considered a notch below the Lions--must derail a Columbia program that until about seven years ago was one of the doormats of the league.

And that'll be no easy task.

The squads open the Ivy season against one another Saturday at New York's Baker Field.

And though the game's on Columbia's home turf, the fact that it's so early in the season could favor Harvard.