Crimson Swordsmen End Long Layoff With Match Against Winless Brandeis

The Harvard fencing team will meet Brandeis University today in what Crimson coach Edo Marion called "one of our easiest meets."

Harvard brings an impressive $-1 record into the meet. The Crimson has folled over Muhlenberg College. Dartmouth, MIT, Southeastern Masssechusetts University and CCNY. The squad's lone loss was to a powerful contingent from NYU.

The Brandeis meet ends a 25-day layoff for Marion's fencers.

The swordsmen rolled over weak Dartmouth on January 11, then took an extended break for exams.

"The long layoff will hurt a bit, but Brandeis will still be too weak to give us much trouble." Harvard fencer John Major said yesterday.

The Crimson attack has also been hurt by the loss of sabre man Steve Hobbs to colitie. Marion said yesterday. "We'll miss his spirit; he really helped the team."

Marion was pessimistic about Hobbe's chances for a comeback. "For fencing you need your energy to be like a torpodo, not like a bullet. With his sickness, Hobbs might have hard himself if he fenced too hard."

Because of the loss of Hobbs from the sabre squad, Marion has moved sophomore Major from the foll to the sabre. Major has some sabre experience and will help to shore up the shallow sabre ranks.

"I think my move from foll to sabre will help the team," Major said. "The foil squad is much deeper so it won't be hurt by the loss, but it will take a lot of delicate shifting to get the team back in balance."

Phillipps Bennett, Larry White and Nick Tepe will compete in the foil today for Harvard, while Gordon Rutledge, Lorry Tu and Major will fence in the sabre.

Marion will fance more than the usual three men in the epee event. "We have four or five people who are very even in the epee, and a meet with a weaker team like Brandeis will let as give each one some experience," he said.

Not Optimistic

Brandeis coach Joseph Pechinsky is not optimistic about his squad's chances against the powerful Crimson. "Harvard is always strong; they always dominate New England," he said. "I don't feel it will be much of a contest."

Brandeis has lost its only two meets of the year. They were nipped by Brooklyn College last week, 15-12, and earlier fell to the Crusaders of Holy Cross, 17-10.