Posted: Jan 22, 2024
PHILADELPHIA - On Saturday, the Haverford women's fencing team participated in the Philadelphia Invitational, hosted by Penn. Saturday represented the second of three weekends where the Fords took on primarily DI and DII opponents as preparation for the Conference and Championship portion of the season.
Haverford had a victory over regional rivals Lafayette, 16-11, their second this season vs the Leopards; and a narrow loss to NJIT, 12-15. The Fords struggled in losses to Wagner (7-20), North Carolina (2-25) and Penn (1-26), but three individuals held the gates and prevented routs versus the toughest opponents, North Carolina and Penn.
Foilist Sophie Gardiner had 5 wins on the day, and the sweetest was a 5-4 victory against UNC's Molho to kick off the action. Helping with the goal-line stand was sabriste Rebecca Osbaldeston, with a 5-2 drubbing of Tar Heel Tomo Kobozeva. But the most dramatic action was epeeist Nina Hamilton's solo win against Penn in the last round, her 5-2 victory against the Quakers' Emily Ostrovsky was the only one the Fords could muster.
Matching Gardiner's five wins over the course of the competition was sabriste Carter Wood; and first-year walk-on epeeist Payton Wagner, scored her first varsity win against NJIT, 5-3.
Haverford fencers will next travel to Brandeis University, just outside of Boston, to compete in the Sollée Invitational on Saturday, Jan 27. Opponents will include ACC Division I powerhouses Duke and Boston College, as well as MIT, Brown, and the host Judges.
Team Scores:
Wagner def Haverford, 20 - 7
Foil: 6-3
Epee: 9-0
Sabre: 5-4
NJIT def Haverford, 15 - 12
F: 5-4
E: 7-2
S: 3-6
North Carolina def Haverford, 25 - 2
F: 8-1
E: 9-0
S: 8-1
Haverford def Lafayette, 16 - 11
F: 4-5
E: 6-3
S: 6-3
Penn def Haverford, 26 - 1
F: 9-0
E: 8-1
S: 9-0