Women's Fencing Starts Team Season Strong at Vassar Invitational

Women's Fencing Starts Team Season Strong at Vassar Invitational

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Haverford College women's fencing team went 5-2 during its first team competition of the season over the weekend at the Vassar Invitational. The Fords started their day with three straight wins, including a convincing victory over the host Brewers and a 14-13 victory against Army West Point. Haverford's only defeats came to Division I Northwestern and a 15-12 setback against Wellesley during round eight.

The Fords' foilists (48-15 overall) shined through Sunday's competition, winning each of their weapon squad rounds with the exception of Northwestern. Foil's day featured a pair of 9-0 results, the most important of which came against Army West point where the Fords needed every single bout in the narrow 14-13 team win. First year phenom Hanna Kopits led all Haverford fencers with a 16-2 record on the day. She went 2-1 during Haverford's only team defeats, posting perfect records against Vassar, Wagner, Army, and Hunter.

Fellow first year Jia-Ming Tuan was second on the team with 14 wins against just five defeats over the weekend. She also posted perfect 3-0 rounds against Wagner, Army West Point, Yeshiva, and Hunter. Sophomore Zuyi Wang won 10 of her 12 contested bouts at Vassar with 3-0 records against Army West Point and Yeshiva, along with a key 2-1 mark in the win against the host Brewers. Senior co-captain Alexandra Morrison won eight of her 14 individual bouts. She started her day with five straights wins against Vassar and Wagner.

Epee doubled up its opposition with a 42-21 record. With a balanced lineup which featured four different fencers that posted winning records, Haverford was a perfect 9-0 against Vassar, Wagner, and Yeshiva. First year Valentina Zavala-Arbelaez was one of those four fencers who each finished with nine victories, including three bout wins against Wagner and Yeshiva. Seniors Lauren Pronger and co-captain Amanda Soled each recorded 9-4 marks in their bouts. Both of those fencers went 3-0 against Vassar and Yeshiva. First year Claire Cai split her 12 bouts with six wins. She started her day 3-0 against Wagner and won two of her three bouts against Hunter.

Haverford's sabrists built on the team's momentum all day and seemingly got stronger as the competition wore on, scoring 7-2 wins against Yeshiva and Hunter in two of the final three rounds. Junior Anna Neuheardt paced her squad with a 13-5 record during her season debut. She was a perfect 3-0 in the win against Army West Point and secured two victories against the Division I Wildcats, finishing with a winning record during all six rounds she competed in.

Classmate Emily Brown won nine bouts as the only Haverford fencer to compete in all seven rounds of fencing. The fatigue did not seem to matter though, as she went 3-0 during both of Haverford's final two victories. Sophomore Ayesha Bhikha used a 3-0 record against Yeshiva to propel her to five individual victories on the day. First year Krystal Li also added a win during Haverford's triumph against Yeshiva.

Women's fencing will be back at home this Saturday as it hosts the Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational. In what is the only chance to catch the Fords on their home strips this year, fencing will get underway inside the Andy Kates Fencing Salle at 10 a.m. The fall semester comes to close the following Saturday when the team travels to the Drew Holiday Invitational.

Team Scores

Haverford 18, Vassar 9
Epee: 9-0
Foil: 7-2
Sabre: 2-7

Haverford 22, Wagner 5
Epee: 9-0
Foil: 9-0
Sabre: 4-5

Haverford 14, Army West Point 13
Epee: 2-7
Foil: 9-0
Sabre: 3-6

Northwestern 20, Haverford 7
Epee: 6-3
Foil: 7-2
Sabre: 7-2

Haverford 24, Yeshiva 3
Epee: 9-0
Foil: 8-1
Sabre: 7-2

Haverford 21, Hunter 6
Epee: 6-3
Foil: 8-1
Sabre: 7-2

Wellesley 15, Haverford 12
Epee: 5-4
Foil: 4-5
Sabre: 6-3