PHILADELPHIA – The Haverford College men's fencing team opened its 2014-15 season this past weekend at the Temple Open tournament. The Temple Open tournament, in its 35th annual year, is the largest individual tournament in the country.

The Fords sent one fencer, sophomore epeeist Eric Gardner, to the round of 16. Gardner won two DE bouts but fell to the tournament's eventual bronze medalist, UNC's Parker Williams. Gardner, the defending bronze medalist in this event, finished in 14th place. Fellow sophomore Jake Bassinder was close in the standings at 21st, while junior Kailash Faris was 41st, and freshman Ian Wheeler placed 57th.

In the foil, senior co-captain Max Findley impressed with an 18th place finish. Findley had grabbed a high seed in the direct elimination table by recording an impressive 8-0 record in the pools, including a defeat of MACFA rival and eventual bronze medalist Jorge Rojas of Stevens Institute of Technology by a 5-4 margin. Fellow foilists Aldis Gamble and Devin Louis were 27th and 56th in the 98 person tournament, respectively. Sabrists Ching Li and Dan Fries were close at 40th and 44th, followed by squad mates Joshua Nadel and Matija Lagator at 51st and 58th, respectively.

The Fords will next compete at the Vassar Invitational this coming Sunday, November 9 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.