The Harvard women's soccer team should be under no illusions about its opponent this afternoon at Ohiri Field, as unglamorous as Hartford may seem.

The Crimson may have cruised to a 5-0 victory in last year's matchup against the very same school, but this time around, Harvard will not be the heavy favorite. In fact, it might just be the underdog.

The latest NSCAA/Umbro poll ranks Hartford 12th in the nation, a notch above unbeaten Harvard, on the strength of a good start to the 1997 season.

The Hawks (2-1) lost narrowly to Rutgers before shocking national powerhouse UConn 3-2 at the University of Connecticut/Umbro Classic and rolling to a 7-1 win over Canisius.

A new coach and a host of savvy, experienced players have restored credibility to Hartford's women's soccer program. Last year, the team struggled to a 4-14 record, losing 10 consecutive games at one point. Now Hartford is already being recognized among the nation's best.

Hartford's strength lies in midfield, where Stine Bohle has already been singled out for individual honors after scoring two goals, including the gamewinner, in the victory over UConn. Her efforts landed her a place in Soccer America's Team of the Week.

The Hawks use their quickness and skill in midfield to play the ball through the middle. They also excel at set pieces, as evidenced by the two scores off restarts which they tallied against the Huskies.

If Hartford has an obvious weakness, it is probably in defense.

"We have to play really smart," said Harvard senior midfielder Kristen Bowes. "The key is to go at them and make them make mistakes."

Bowes' play could very well be a key to the match for Harvard. As a one of Harvard's most talented wingers, it will be her job to outflank the visitors and create scoring chances by skirting the middle of the field, where Hartford is strongest.

The Crimson will also need another steady performance from the goalkeeper position. To their credit, junior Jen Burney and sophomore Anne Browning have combined on a season-long clean sheet comprising 200 shutout minutes.

But today's challenge should prove a little stiffer. Whoever starts between the pipes must make sure to position the Harvard defenders carefully on opposing free kicks or Hartford could escape with its second win over a nationally-ranked foe this year.

Though Hartford is out to avenge last season's drubbing, the home team is certain to come out fighting too. After struggling to a 1-0 double overtime win over mediocre Boston University in its opening match, Harvard knows better than to underestimate an opponent the caliber of Hartford.

The Crimson also has the added motivation of a chance to prove itself to the very same critics who denied it an NCAA tournament berth two years ago, despite its Ivy League championship, on account of the team's relatively weak schedule. Harvard's first round exit from the NCAA Tournament last year did nothing to repair its image as a paper tiger on the college soccer scene.

Rather unexpectedly, Hartford's meteoric rise in the rankings provides Harvard with a prime opportunity to gain some respect, as well as some additional momentum, as it looks ahead to the beginning of the conference season and another Ivy title.