The Harvard fencers take on N.Y.U. in the IAB at 2 p.m. today, and Crimson Coach Edo Marion is predicting a close match against "the best team in the country."

"We have a much better team than last year," Marion said last night. "N.Y.U. will come here thinking they can't lose, and we'll be ready for them."

But Harvard will have to get ready without team captain and number one saber Bob Damus, who is in California. Damus, who dropped two matches against C.C.N.Y. last week is still the fastest fencer on the team.

To fill the breach left by Damus, Marion will fence sophomore Bob Barnard. Barnard will join Dave Redmond, and sophomore Ron Winfield.

Harvard foilman Tom Musliner "can beat anyone at N.Y.U. on a good day" according to Marion. "Anyone" this year includes two amateur foil finalists, Davis and Gaylor. Joining Musliner in foil against N.Y.U. will be Takashi Iwasawa and Charles Lovell.

In epee, Marion thinks his team should take at least six of its nine bouts against N.Y.U. It won all nine last Saturday, a perfect performance that Marion said "never happened before."

Harvard has Harry Jergesen, Steve Shee and Brian Keiden in the epee. Jergesen, a tremendous fighter, won 5-4 against C.C.N.Y. after being down, 4-0. Shea has been playing brilliantly lately, according to Marion, and Keiden "is beginning to learn to think."

Last year, the Crimson lost to N.Y.U. in New York, 18-9. In the IAB the previous year, Harvard threw away its last three epee games to lose, 14-13.

"N.Y.U. always has the cream of New York City, the fencing center of the country," Marion said. "But tomorrow I expect a score pretty much like two years ago."