For the Harvard men's fencing team, the 1986-'87 season has a familiar ring to it. Knock off perennial powerhouses Penn and Columbia, and the Ivy title--which has eluded the fencers since 1976--is the Crimson's for the taking.

It's not quite so simple, of course, but the fencers almost pulled the feat off last year, upsetting the Quakers only to fall to the Lions, 20-7.

Columbia went on to snag the Ivy title while Harvard (9-2 overall, 3-2 Ivy) ended in a three-way tie for second place with Penn and Yale.

This year, powered by Captain Kevin McCarthy and two-time All-Ivy fencer Jim O'Neil, the Crimson appears set again to challenge Columbia, winner of two of the last three league titles, and Penn--winner of at least a share of the title from 1975 to 1983.

O'Neil won the pre-season Penn St. Invational, a tournament which featured some of the best collegiate fencers. He is the epee (one of three fencing weapons) weapon leader.

"Epee is the strongest weapon," McCarthy said, "and Jim is a really good fencer who gets the job done."

Supporting O'Neil are Adam Weintraub, Larry Powleson, and freshman Eugene Kyim.

McCarthy leads sabre, with support from Mike Druckmen, Paul Pottinger and Jay Kim while Ray Carthy, the foil weapon leader, Jim Rothwell, and Arthur Phillips fence foil.

Harvard (2-1) already boasts convincing wins over Trinity, 26-1, and MIT, 19-8, but had its non-league unbeaten streak of eight consecutive wins broken against Brandeis, 15-12.

"We are about as strong as last year," McCarthy said, "and we expect a chance at winning the Ivy title."

Harvard faces Penn and Columbia this weekend in New York.