The Harvard varsity fencing team expected to lose its match against NYU in New York Saturday, but it never really expected what the New Yorkers finally handed them-the worst drubbing ever given to a Crimson fencing team-a 23-4 loss.

Clobbered

"We were really clobbered," Coach Edo Marion said yesterday, "but I did not see a high style of fencing: NYU was just a very good and efficient team that made its points."

Larry Cetrulo, who normally wins all three of his saber bouts, contributed half of the Crimson output, while at the epee Mark Irvings and Eliot Hurwitz each snatched a victory. Even with the return of All-American Tom Keller, the foilers were unable to win any bouts.

The match began disastrously when Cetrulo lost his second bout of the season. "Cetrulo is a very nervous type fencer. Starting first against NYU, and realizing that he had to win, may have been a bit too much for him," Marion said.

When Cetrulo was beaten in the first match, the Crimson lost any confidence that it might have had. This lack of confidence especially hurt Harvard in the close bouts. The Crimson fencers managed to win only two of the twelve 5-4 bouts in the match.

Although the foilers lost all nine of the bouts, some consolation can be found in the fact that they lost to the best fencers in the nation. Keller lost all of his bouts 5-4, and while Captain Cliff Ruderman did not look as good as Keller, he improved somewhat over his two previous performances.