Fencing: Women's team continues to succeed, while men struggle
by Trevor Cohen
Staff Writer
Sports | 2/2/10
Posted online at 12:52 AM EST on 2/2/10
/ Last updated at 12:06 PM EST on 2/2/10
At the Brandeis/Massachusetts Institute of Technology fencing invitational last year, the University of Pennsylvania women's team handed Brandeis a 20-7 loss en route to a 5-0 sweep of the event.
This was just one trend that the Brandeis women reversed at Saturday's Eric Sollee Invitational, topping UPenn and four other opponents to go undefeated on the day with a record of 5-0. The Brandeis men finished 1-4 on the day.
The women's team faced its toughest opponent first on Saturday, as it was able to defeat eighth-ranked UPenn, 14-13. The saber and épée squads held it close, each with records of 4-5, allowing foil to take the match with a 6-3 win.
Saber Zoe Messinger '13 and épée Emily Mandel '12 each went 2-1, while foils Vikki Nunley '13 and Emily Levy '12 went 3-0 and 2-1, respectively. Nunley and Levy provided the decisive blows, gaining the team's 13th and 14th wins to break a 12-12 tie.
The second round saw the women facing rival New York University, against whom the Judges posted a 15-12 victory.
In the afternoon, Brandeis finished strong with decisive wins against Haverford College (18-9), the United States Air Force Academy (19-8) and Hunter College (18-9).
The 5-0 sweep came after a winless performance at the team's last home event, the Brandeis Invitational, in December. The team's strong showing at the Northeast Fencing Conference Meet on Jan. 23, where the team went 6-0 to win the NFC crown, may have made the difference.
"Our confidence level was really high," Messinger said, who finished the day at 9-2. "At the last Brandeis Invitational, we didn't do so hot, but [at the NFC Meet] we really pulled it together and we came out strong to be the conference champions, and I think that that confidence really carried through until [Saturday]."
Coach Bill Shipman also emphasized the importance of player mentality, especially against tough opponents UPenn and NYU.
This was just one trend that the Brandeis women reversed at Saturday's Eric Sollee Invitational, topping UPenn and four other opponents to go undefeated on the day with a record of 5-0. The Brandeis men finished 1-4 on the day.
The women's team faced its toughest opponent first on Saturday, as it was able to defeat eighth-ranked UPenn, 14-13. The saber and épée squads held it close, each with records of 4-5, allowing foil to take the match with a 6-3 win.
Saber Zoe Messinger '13 and épée Emily Mandel '12 each went 2-1, while foils Vikki Nunley '13 and Emily Levy '12 went 3-0 and 2-1, respectively. Nunley and Levy provided the decisive blows, gaining the team's 13th and 14th wins to break a 12-12 tie.
The second round saw the women facing rival New York University, against whom the Judges posted a 15-12 victory.
In the afternoon, Brandeis finished strong with decisive wins against Haverford College (18-9), the United States Air Force Academy (19-8) and Hunter College (18-9).
The 5-0 sweep came after a winless performance at the team's last home event, the Brandeis Invitational, in December. The team's strong showing at the Northeast Fencing Conference Meet on Jan. 23, where the team went 6-0 to win the NFC crown, may have made the difference.
"Our confidence level was really high," Messinger said, who finished the day at 9-2. "At the last Brandeis Invitational, we didn't do so hot, but [at the NFC Meet] we really pulled it together and we came out strong to be the conference champions, and I think that that confidence really carried through until [Saturday]."
Coach Bill Shipman also emphasized the importance of player mentality, especially against tough opponents UPenn and NYU.
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