MADISON, N.J. – The Haverford College women's fencing team competed in the Eastern Women's Fencing Conference (EWFC) Championships on Sunday at Drew University's Simon Forum. Due to inclement weather delaying the start of competition until 11 a.m., the individual portion of the championships was canceled. Individual awards were instead determined based on team results.
Round 1: Vassar 19, Haverford 8
Haverford opened the competition against Vassar, falling 19-8. The Fords were outpaced in sabre, 8-1, and foil, 6-3, while narrowly dropping the epee bouts, 5-4. Sophie Gardiner led the foil squad with a 3-0 mark, while Nina Hamilton posted a 2-1 record in epee. Joselyne Malan and Nina Chafee each added a win in epee, and Sienna Chung secured the Fords' lone sabre victory.
Round 2: Denison 25, Haverford 2
Against Denison, the Fords fell 8-1 in both sabre and epee and 9-0 in foil. Carter Wood and Hamilton each recorded a bout victory for Haverford in the defeat.
Round 3: Haverford 15, Hunter 12
Haverford picked up a hard-fought 15-12 victory over Hunter, with the sabre squad prevailing 5-4 and epee winning 6-3. The Fords were edged in foil, 5-4. Wood went 3-0 in sabre, with Chung and Eleni Antoniades adding wins. In epee, Olivia Rueger delivered a perfect 3-0 performance, while Payton Wagner contributed two victories and Malan added another. Gardiner led the foilists with two key wins, while Paige Copenhaver and Sophie Stamicar also earned bout victories in the round.
Round 4: Tufts 23, Haverford 4
Facing a formidable Jumbos squad, the Fords secured individual wins in sabre and epee. Wood finished 1-2 in sabre acgtion, while Malan, Hamilton, and Chafee each claimed a bout victory in epee.
Placement Round: Drew 16, Haverford 11
Facing a familiar foe in the Rangers of Drew, Haverford was locked in a closed battle, picking up four more points than last weekend's dual in Madison. The Fords fell 5-4 in sabre, 5-4 foil and 6-3 in epee. Indivual wins in sabre came from Wood (two), Chung, and Eliza Kollett. Haverford's foil squad saw Gardiner go 3-0 while Copenhaver won once. In epee, Hamilton, Malan, and Chafee each picked up one victory.
The women's fencing team will next host its annual alumnae matches and banquet Saturday, Feb. 22, with alumnae bouts beginning at 11 a.m., followed by a reception. Haverford returns to intercollegiate competition Saturday, March 1 at the NIWFA Championships, hosted again by Drew University.