Crimson Fencers Face MIT In Rematch of Close Contest

The Harvard fencing team, which barely got by Princeton 14-13 last Saturday, faces another tough match tonight when it meets the Engineers from MIT at 7 p.m. in the IAB. A win would boost the Crimson over the .500 mark; they are now 3-3.

Coach Edo Marion believes that his team will be challenged by the MIT squad, but is confident that they can win. In December, Harvard barely squeeked by the Engineers, 14-13, but Marion believes that his team has improved considerably since that contest although he is not fully content with their progress.

Confident

"The team looks more confident and techniques have improved," he said yesterday. But he added that he is particularly concerned by the team's tendency to fall apart towards the end of a match.

In the last contest with MIT, for example, the Crimson took a quick 13-8 lead but then lost the next five matches before finally taking the last bout needed for the win. Against Princeton on Saturday, the team clinched a victory and then proceeded to drop every one of the remaining six bouts.

If the team lets down too early against MIT they may be in trouble because the Engineers are, in Marion's opinion, the second best fencing team in New England--behind Harvard. "They are stiff and tough," Marion said, "and have a good foil and epee team."