PHILADELPHIA – The Haverford College men's fencing team began its 2018-19 season on Sunday at the Temple Open. The Fords sent 10 fencers into the direct elimination rounds, including each of their four entrants in the foil and sabre competitions.
Nevertheless, it was co-captain and epeeist Kadan Lottick who delivered the signature win of the day for the Fords. Leading his squad with a 32nd place finish, Lottick started to hit his stride during the elimination round. He began the elimination rounds with an easy dispatch of his opponent from TCNJ before knocking off third-seeded Jack Lin of Columbia in a thrilling 15-14 match. However, Lottick saw that 15-14 score turned against him just one round later in a defeat at the hands of Stevens.
Adrian Ballard also qualified for the direct elimination draw for Haverford's epeeists. Ballard started his day with a victory in the seeding rounds, but ran into the No. 7 seed from NJIT during his first elimination bout. Raynor Bond-Ashpole rebounded from a tough start to his day with a 4-1 record in consolation bouts as he placed 79th overall. Adrian Velonis placed 84th overall during his collegiate debut.
Foilist Yan Yan Xie recorded Haverford's highest individual placement of the afternoon. He tore through the seeding rounds with a 7-1 record and was drawn in as the No. 7 seed for the direct elimination bouts. Xie picked up a convincing 15-3 victory during the Round of 64 against TCNJ, but was denied any further advancement after a heartbreaking 15-14 setback in the Round of 32.
Carter Langen also won an elimination bout for the Fords' foil squad to place 30th overall. Langen won four seeding bouts and picked up a 15-6 victory against his opponent from NJIT in the Round of 64 before running into the No. 8 seed from host Temple. Alton Wiggers also won four seeding bouts and placed 38th overall after a narrow 15-12 defeat against Rutgers during the opening elimination round. One spot behind him in 39th place was Jack Leighninger. Leighninger was 5-3 after the seeding rounds, but fell to his opponent from North Carolina in his opening elimination bout.
Haverford's sabre squad proved very competitive throughout the day. First year Nicholas Conroy led one of Haverford's most experienced squads as he placed 28th. With four wins after the two seeding rounds, he was drawn into the bracket against teammate David Parker. Conroy got the better of that all Haverford bout by a 15-12 score. Parker ended up placing 37th overall after going 6-3 during the seeding bouts.
John Hare got his day off to a perfect 4-0 start in the first seeding round and defeated his opponent from NYU by a 15-6 score during the opening round of elimination. However, he ran into the second-seeded fencer from UNC the following round and finished his day in 30th place. Gabriel Braun placed 36th as the Fords' co-captain entered the direct elimination rounds with a 5-3 record. Nevertheless, Braun was drawn into a match against Penn State. The senior put forth a strong showing, but came up just shy in a 15-12 bout.
Men's fencing has the upcoming weekend away from competition. When the Fords do return to the strips on Sunday, November 11, it will be for the first team competition of the season as they travel to New York for the Vassar Invitational. Fencing that day is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m.