HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's fencing team hosted its annual home tournament, the D'Arnstein '09 Invitational, at Alumni Field House on Saturday. The Fords welcomed local rivals Drexel, Swarthmore, and Bryn Mawr, along with Division I Fairleigh Dickinson, for round-robin action.
Round 1: Haverford 14, Bryn Mawr 13
Haverford edged out Bi-Co neighbor Bryn Mawr in a thrilling match, securing victory with 5-4 wins in both epee and foil. Bryn Mawr claimed a narrow 5-4 decision in sabre. In epee, Nina Hamilton delivered a perfect 3-0 performance, with Joselyne Malan adding two wins. The foil squad also shined bright, led by Sophie Gardiner's flawless 3-0 mark and two wins from Sophie Stamicar. The sabre squad, composed entirely of rookies, saw Eliza Kollett earn two victories, while Sienna Chung and Eleni Antoniades each contributed one win.
Round 2: Haverford 16, Swarthmore 11
The Tri-Co rivalry continued in round two as Haverford defeated Swarthmore in a spirited contest. The epee squad edged out the Garnet with a 5-4 win, thanks to Hamilton's continued dominance (3-0) and victories from Payton Wagner and Olivia Rueger. The sabre squad narrowly fell, 5-4, despite two wins from Antoniades and one each from Chung and Kollett. In foil, the Fords triumphed 7-2, with Stamicar's unbeaten 3-0 performance complemented by two wins each from Emely Polanco and Paige Copenhaver.
Round 3: Haverford 16, Fairleigh Dickinson 11
Haverford faced Division I Fairleigh Dickinson in a tightly contested battle. In epee, Hamilton maintained her outstanding form with another 3-0 mark, while the Knights managed to hold Malan and Wagner scoreless. The foil squad secured a 5-4 victory, with Gardiner going 3-0 and single wins from Stamicar and Copenhaver sealing the result. The FDU sabre squad was shorthanded, allowing Chung and Kollett to prevail over Zoe Rupp while the Fords claimed its other six victories in the matchup by default.
Round 4: Haverford 7, Drexel 2
Haverford's epee squad dominated Drexel, which only brought an epee team to Haverford, finishing with a decisive 7-2 victory. Wagner and Malan both posted 3-0 records, and Rueger added another win.
The Fords will now take a break for final exams and the winter holidays. They return to action in January 2025 at the Philadelphia Invitational, hosted by the University of Pennsylvania. The two-day event begins on Saturday, January 18, and continues on Sunday, January 19.