POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Haverford College men's fencing team competed at the Vassar Invitational on Sunday. Those bouts marked the first dual-meet format tournament of the season.

Haverford dominated the competition, losing only to the host Brewers in the third round. Along the way, the Fords knocked off two Division I teams and five MACFA opponents.

The Fords took out Sacred Heart University in the first round, 14-13. Haverford's other narrow victory came in the fourth round with a 15-12 win against the University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio). The sabre squad led the charge against both these teams, contributing 17 wins out of its 18 bouts over the two matches.

Stevens Institute of Technology, who finished just ahead of the fourth-place Fords at last year's MACFA Championships, was this time unable to resist the battle of Haverford, succumbing 16-11 in the fifth round. Again, sabre provided the bulk of the bouts with eight of nine possible wins.

In the eighth and final round, the Fords ran up against a strong Hunter College team. In this final bout, it was the foil and epee squads who rallied the team with respective 9-0 and 7-2 triumphs that helped seal the eventual 19-8 team score.

Freshman phenom John Hare had the highest win ratio on the team for the day, with an astounding 19-2 record. The young sabrist from Rhode Island was joined by two other freshmen with successful debuts, as foilists Russell Rivera and Jack Leighninger posted 13 and 15 wins, respectively.

Men's fencing will next compete at the Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational on Saturday, November 19. That will mark the first live action of the year inside the Andy Kates Fencing Salle.

Haverford Scores

Haverford def. Sacred Heart, 14-13
Epee: 3-6
Foil: 2-7
Sabre: 9-0

Haverford def. Army West Point, 23-4
Epee: 8-1
Foil: 7-2
Sabre: 8-1

Haverford def. U. Incarnate Word, 15-12
Epee: 1-8
Foil: 6-3
Sabre: 8-1

Vassar def. Haverford, 17-10
Epee: 5-4
Foil: 7-2
Sabre: 5-4

Haverford def. Stevens Tech, 16-11
Epee: 3-6
Foil: 5-4
Sabre: 8-1

Haverford def. Yeshiva, 19-8
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 5-4
Sabre: 7-2

Haverford def. Lafayette, 21-6
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 7-2
Sabre: 7-2

Haverford def. Hunter, 19-8
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 9-0
Sabre: 3-6