Sparked by a surprising performance by sophomore epee Mare Irvings, Harvard's varsity fencing team came within a hair's breadth of defeating the nation's top ranked fencing team, New York University, Saturday in the IAB. Irvings' fencing in the number three epee spot, won all three of his bouts. Combined with captain Ron Winfield's sweep of his sabre bouts and a few other key wins, Harvard kept the outcome in doubt until the next to the last bout. The Crimson finally bowed 15-12.

All three of Irvings' bouts were spectacular come from behind wins. All three were 5-4 wins. In his last bout, which he had to win to keep Harvard's hopes alive, he dropped behind 4-2 only to come roaring back to tie the score at 4-4. With the meet on the line the NYU swordsmen attacked hard, scoring what seemed to be the decisive touch. But the judge ruled that he had been outside the strip when he scored, and Irvings was given new life. Responding to the challenge the spunky sophomore parried another attack and scored the decisive touch on a brilliant repost.

Winfield had less trouble with his opponents. Showing the lightning speed which made him All-Ivy last year, he disposed of the NYU sabremen 5-3, 5-4, and 5-3. Only against the number two man did he have difficulty, fighting off an attempt to come from behind holding on to his initial 3-0 lead to win 5-4.

Larry Cetrulo, fencig in the number two sabre position, won two of his three bouts, bowing to the same man who gave Winfield such difficulty. In the foil, only Tom Keller was able to register a win, 5-4 against the NYU number three man. Art Weissman and Sam Fouts lost all six of their bouts, three of them by 5-1 scores.

Despite the loss the meet was encouraging for the Crimson. NYYU had beaten Columbia 18-9, the same score with which the Lions toppled Harvard. The improvement in Irvings, sabre Tony Abbott, and Tom Keller, who was facing his strongest competition of the year, was evident. Going into what will be the decisive stretch of the season, starting with Trinity on Wednesday and Penn on Saturday, the NYU meet is an encouraging sign.