Harvard's swimming team didn't do as well as Yale against Penn Saturday at the IAB, but they sure came close. Crimson Coach Bill Brooke used an experimental makeup-- Bill Shrout swam in only one event, and breaststroker Bob Corris led off the freestyle relay -- but that didn't deter the Crimson as they swamped the Quakers, 71-23, amassing only three points less than the Yalies.

Penn won only three events: the dive, the 200-yard backstroke, and the individual medley. Harvard won the remaining eight, including five one-two sweeps.

The Crimson grabbed a quick 7-0 lead the 400-yard medley relay. Dick Thomkins fishtailed past Penn's Bill McCurdy in the butterfly leg, and Steve Coy eased by on the anchor leg to complete the first Harvard win since exams in a fast 3:32.6.

Junior Jim Seubold led Bob Buster to sweep over the foundering Quakers in the 200-yard freestyle in a moderate 2:54.2. Shrout turned in a creditable 22.6-second performance for the 50-yard sprint.

In the 200-yard individual medley, Penn's Charles Wigo beat Steve Teaford a slow 2:13.3, and came back in the 100-yard backstroke to whip Al Lincoln in mediocre time, emerging as the only double winner of the afternoon.

Harvard's Neville Hayes spent a leisurely afternoon. He only had to swim in one event, the 200-yard butterfly, and led Steve Bulloch to another Harvard sweep. Bob Padway took an early lead over Andy Grinstead in the 100-yard freestyle and hit the finish two yards ahead in 51.4 seconds.

Pete Adams set a fast pace in the 500, lapped the Quakers' hapless Kurt Kendis, and led Bob Buster to a victory in a fast 5:16.8.