The Harvard Fencing team sharpened its skills in preparation for a tough February schedule by slicing through a weak Dartmouth squad on Saturday afternoon in the IAB, 21-6.

The match was the first Ivy League contest of the season for the Crimson, now 4-2, and they looked impressive, winning 8 out of 9 bouts in both foil and sabre while managing to take 5 bouts in the epee class.

In foil, Captain Phillipe Bennett swept all three bouts as did John Major. Coach Edo Marion, anticipating an easy match, let Eugene Vastola, his third best foil man, go to New York to fence in an amateur competition. Eric Mandelbaum replaced Vastola and lost one bout. In what Coach Marion termed a "Good sign," sophomore David Mcclees fenced two "beautiful" matches, winning 5-0 and 5-1.

In epee, John Hirschfeld started by taking two bouts. Hirschfeld returned to the lineup despite the broken wrist he suffered in last month's NYU contest. Matt Simmons also won two bouts, while sophomore Bob Barger won one. Marion said his epee team looked "pretty good" but was still "erratic" and, at times, "hysterical." The return of the Crimson's top epee man, senior Eric Reed, should help in settling down the epee class.

Surprising Sabre

Sabre was the surprise of the day as Marion's men performed "better than expected." Marion revealed that his sabre group is mostly beginners but that they are "shaping up pretty well." Larry Tu won three bouts while John Chipman posted two victories in three contests. Nick Tepe won two bouts as did Michael Bierer.

After exams, the swordsmen will begin their quest for the Ivy League crown in earnest. Marion feels that Princeton, Penn and Harvard have an equal shot at the title. "One lucky break or one bad day will do it," prophesized Marion.

It will be easier to forecast what the season holds for the Crimson fencers after they meet Princeton on February 7. By then Princeton will have fenced Penn, a very strong squad who has the best sabre contingent in the nation, according to Marion.