Fencers Turn Back Cornell Threat, 15-12; Sabre Squad Routs Big Red to Lead Win

Last weekend's combination arctic survival and fencing test ended in Ithaca, N.Y., yesterday, and the Crimson fencers emerged with universally cold noses and a slim 15-12 victory over Cornell.

Harvard's powerful sabre squad totally outclassed the Big Red opposition to lead the Crimson victory. Gordon Ruttledge. Terry Valenzuela, and Ken Hetzler swept through nine bouts without a setback to destroy Cornell with relative ease.

"I was very surprised that we beat them so badly." Harvard coach Edo Marion said after the match. "Their sabre team was really off today."

Unfortunately for Harvard fans, the rest of the team was unable to match the awesome performance of the sabre men. Neither the foil nor the epee squad was able to win a majority of its bouts.

In epee Harvard could manage to win only four bouts out of nine. Crimson captain Geza Tatrallyay and sophomore Eugene White led Harvard with two wins each.

The biggest surprise of the match was the performance of Ken Bartels, an epee performer who in recent weeks has supplied the most consistent production of victories for Harvard, Bartels, fencing with a severe case of the flu, lost three straight contests. Until Saturday, Bartels had won five of his six bouts in the Ivies, and had established himself as one of the league's best epee men.

Harvard's foil men--facing, in Cornell, one of the Ivy League's strongest foil squads--were unable to generate much of a winning effort, losing seven of nine bouts.

Dave Fichter, who has carried the Crimson foil squad through much of this year, picked up one victory for Harvard. Don Valentine, won the other, but it was evident that he has yet to throw off the adverse effects of last semester's layoff.

"I was disappointed that we did not do better in foil," Marion said. "I expected much more."

The Crimson will no sooner have settled down from last night's late flight back from Cornell than they will hit the road again to face Brandeis this evening in Waltham. The Judges, while not on a par with some of the stronger east coast teams, are nevertheless a solid New England squad. However, Harvard should have little trouble disposing of Brandeis while maintaining the Crimson's position as the top team in New England.