The varsity fencing team needed but one victory out of six final matches to beat Cornell Saturday, but blew all six in losing to the Big Red by a 14 to 13 score.

Possessing what coach Edo Marion has called "one of the strongest saber teams in the Ivy League," the Crimson swordsmen took a commanding 13 to 8 lead midway through the match. The five point margin was made possible by double victories in the saber by captain, John Kennedy, Roger Barzun, and Paul Zygas.

But Cornell took advantage of Crimson weaknesses in the foil and epee to hand the varsity fencers their second Ivy defeat in as many starts.