Women's fencing shines at Mid-Atlantic Regional championships

Women's fencing shines at Mid-Atlantic Regional championships

EASTON, Pa. - Haverford College epeeist Juliana Petersen placed eighth at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional championships hosted by Lafayette College. Petersen's performance was the highest finish in any weapon for either gender of any Division III school.

Petersen, on her way to the stunning result, defeated fencers from Duke University, University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Penn State University and the University of North Carolina. The sophomore also scored two touches of five against Princeton University's Susie Scanlan, a bronze medalist in the 2012 Olympics.

Petersen's eighth-place finish puts her in position for an at-large bid to go to NCAA Nationals, a familiar situation for Haverford fencers over the past decade. As selection of the at-large is based solely on the fencer's seeding factor into the tournament, it is highly unlikely that Petersen will qualify, as her seeding factor will be compared against D-I opponents from other regions. The final decision on the at-large bids will be made Tuesday, March 11.

Senior Shannon Horn placed 20th in sabre while squadmates Elisabeth Hawthorne and Diana Schoder, placed 31st and 33rd, respectively.

Horn's classmate Katie Elbert was the highest foil finisher at 21st while foilists Leila Braun and Jess Poling were 34th and 35th, respectively.