Crimson Fencers Lose to Quakers

The Penn fencing team came prepared to win a meet Saturday. The Crimson held them to a one bout advantage in the first round, but then fell apart, losing 15 of the last 19 bouts and giving the Quakers a 20-7 win.

The Quakers showed strength at every weapon, winning eight out of nine foil bouts and seven out of nine in the epee. The Crimson fared a little better at the saber, losing by only one bout.

The Quakers seemed a little nervous in the first round, but they settled down and with cool, detached precision carved the Crimson to pieces in the final two rounds.

Cetrulo Wins Three

Larry Cetrulo, the only Harvard fencer to win three bouts, dominated his Penn opponents. His piercing screeches and overwhelming speed left the Quakers who faced him shaking.

Rick Tolbert was the only other Harvard saberman to win, dumping his Quaker, 5-3, in the first round. He lost his last two bouts, 5-2. Scott Beckett lost three times, and managed to get only five touches in three bouts.

Foiler Tom Keller won only one of his three bouts. The closest any other Harvard foiler came to winning a bout was in the second round when Art Weissman, who was substituting for Gil Castle, had a lead on his opponent, but could not land the last two touches. Captain Cliff Ruderman dropped three bouts and Castle lost two.

At epee, Mark Irvings won his first bout, 5-4, but lost his last two by the same score. John Reitz could only get two touches in his first two bouts. He made it close in the last bout, but ended up losing, 5-4.

Eliot Hurwitz was the only number three man to win a bout for the Crimson. He defeated his opponent in the second round, 5-4. He fared a little better than Reitz in his other two bouts, getting three touches.

The loss to the Quakers was the fifth loss of the season for the Crimson. Harvard has yet to win against a team from New York or the Ivy League.