HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's fencing team hosted the Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational on Saturday afternoon. The Fords went 2-1 as a team with victories against Navy and William & Mary during the final two rounds of fencing. Those wins came after a tough 17-10 opening defeat against Johns Hopkins.
Despite the team's defeat against Johns Hopkins, Haverford's epeeists won each of their weapon squad matchups, pulling out thrilling 5-4 victories against the Blue Jays and William & Mary. Showing off a deep squad, each of Haverford's five epeeists won at least three bouts. First year Claire Cai led the weapon with a 5-1 record, including three wins against Navy and taking her only two fenced bouts against William & Mary. Co-captain Amanda Soled finished with four victories, recording at least one victory in all three rounds of fencing action. Katie Bradley, Lauren Pronger, and Valentina Zavala-Arbelaez each won three bouts on the day. Bradley was 3-2 overall, taking two of her three matches to help the Fords secure the weapon squad win over Johns Hopkins. Zavala-Arbelaez split her matches against the Blue Jays and finished with two more victories over Navy. Pronger also split her matches against Johns Hopkins and added another win in each of the final two rounds.
The Fords' foilists racked up 19 wins to lead all Haverford weapon squads. After just two individual victories against Johns Hopkins, foil bounced back with 9-0 and 8-1 squad wins in the respective final two rounds of fencing. First year phenom Hanna Kopits continued her torrid start to the season by going a team-best 8-1 on the day. Sophomore Zuyi Wang did not fence against Johns Hopkins, but was ready for action in the final two rounds where she collected a 5-1 record. Co-captain Alexandra Morrison split her six bouts on the afternoon with a perfect 3-0 mark against William & Mary to cap the day. First year Jia-Ming Tuan matched her captain's record with her 3-0 record coming against the Midshipmen to start the afternoon session.
Haverford's sabre lineup was led by junior Anna Neuheardt who went 7-2 on the day, winning two matches against Johns Hopkins and Navy before a clean sweep of her bouts against William & Mary. Emily Brown finished the day with four wins, collecting victories in two of her three bouts against the Tribe. First year Krystal Li subbed into the lineup during the first of the squad's consecutive 5-4 wins to finish the day. She posted a 2-1 record against the Midshipmen.
Women's fencing will now have one final competition to put a wrap on the fall semester portion of the schedule. The Fords will travel to Madison, New Jersey in two weeks to take part in the Drew Holiday Invitational on Saturday, December 2. Fencing at Drew will begin at 10 a.m. that day.
Team Scores
Johns Hopkins 17, Haverford 10
Epee: 4-5
Foil: 7-2
Sabre: 6-3
Haverford 21, Navy 6
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 9-0
Sabre: 5-4
Haverford 18, William & Mary 9
Epee: 5-4
Foil: 8-1
Sabre: 5-4