The varsity soccer team, with six sophomores starting still only potentially a great team, opens its season this afternoon at 3 p.m. with an away game against Tufts.

The Crimson worked out in the rain yesterday, but for the first time Coach Bruce Munro permitted a few rays of cautious optimism to brighten the gloom. "You've improved a hundred-fold in the last two days." Munro told the highly touted team which until this week had looked disappointing in practice. "Now you're beginning to play soccer."

Munro has made only two lineup changes since last week's scrimmages against B.U., M.I.T., and a Business School team. Emmanuel Boye will start at right half in place of Dave Clapp, and Billy Ward, playmaker of last year's freshmen, will start at center half, moving Tony Davies over to the left half slot.

"Tufts is big and strong, but not fast," Munro reported after having watched the Elephants lose a touch opening game to B.U. Saturday. 'With one game behind them," he said, "they may out-condition us. They have the strength, but we have the skills."

Tufts will be out to avenge the 1-0 shutout Harvard pinned on it with a last period goal in last year's opener.