Fencers Finish Second In Collegiate Tourney

Tom Keller took second place in foil and Larry Cetrulo was runner-up in sabre in the NCAA Fencing Championships at the University of North Carolina last weekend to lead Harvard's all-sophomore contingent to a second-place finish behind the University of Pennsylvania.

Keller fell by a narrow 5-4 decision to Anthony Kestler of Columbia in a playoff bout. Cetrulo also lost by a 5-4 margin, bowing to Norman Braslow of Penn in another playoff contest. Their performances earned the two Crimson fencers positions on the All-American first team.

Geza Tatrallay, Harvard's entry in the epee competition, did not place in the top twelve. The 42 teams could enter only one contestant in each weapon.

Penn Wins Easily

Penn, with winners in both epee and sabre, easily topped the other teams with 54 points. Harvard, with 43 points, barely edged Columbia (42) and Navy (39). The Crimson had tied the Lions for third place in the Ivy League season standings.

Keller and Cetrulo survived the semifinals in their events qualifying for the twelve-man round robin finals on March 29.

Keller compiled a 9-2 record in the finals, defeating Kestler, 5-2, Kestler also compiled a 9-2 record, and the two met in a play-off for first. They had split in regular season competition and fought a close bout, with the lead exchanging hands several times before Kestler finally won.

Cetrulo tied Braslow with an 8-3 slate in the finals, beating him in the round robin competition, 5-3. But Braslow came back in the playoff bout to win 5-4 and gain first place.

Coach Edo Marion said last night, "I was very pleased with our success." He especially congratulated Keller on his strong finish after a poor early season start. "It looks encouraging for next year," Marion added.

Big Improvement

This winter's Crimson team did markedly better than any recent Harvard fencing squad. Only three times in the 14-year history of the Ivy League have the Crimson finished as high as third, and last year it finished in the cellar. The NCAA meet has been held since 1941, but Harvard has never won a team or individual title.

Penn and Princeton had tied for the Ivy League crown in the regular season. While the Quakers earned the NCAA championship, Princeton plummeted to nineteenth place in the NCAA standings.