Spring Break
FENCING: Friedman sharp at NCAAs, earns second-team all-America status
by Andrew Ng
Staff writer
Sports | 3/18/08
Posted online at 2:44 AM EST on 3/18/08
Foil Will Friedman '09 entered last weekend's NCAA Fencing Championships with low expectations for himself. Then he left as a second team all-American.
Appearing in his third consecutive NCAA Championship, Friedman finished in seventh place out of 24 foils, winning 14 of his 23 bouts during the two-day tournament.
"[Friedman] wasn't intimidated by anybody and he held his own. He even beat opponents he had trouble with in the past. He gave every fencer he competed against a problem," captain and foil Eugene Vortsman '08 said.
The three-person delegation of Friedman, Vortsman and epée Caitlin Kozel '09 scored 25 points combined, putting the Judges in a tie for 17th place overall with Cornell University and the University of North Carolina. Vortsman finished 14th among foils with 11 bout victories, while Kozel finished last of the 24 epeés with six bout wins. Ohio State University won the title with 185 points, nine better than the University of Notre Dame.
Twenty-four collegiate fencers per weapon qualified for the NCAA Championships, which includes members of Division I and III teams. During the initial pool play, each fencer competes in one bout against each of the 23 other fencers. The four fencers with the most victories qualify for the final bracket in a single-elimination tournament, with fencers competing in 15-point bouts to determine the winners.
Friedman finished in 22nd place in 2006 and 23rd last season, but improved significantly on those finishes. Three of his wins came against fencers from Ohio State and Notre Dame. He defeated Ohio State rookie Ben Parkins 5-4, and Notre Dame rookies Steve Kubik and Zach Schirtz by 5-4 and 5-3 margins, respectively.
"There were close matches I could have won, but I fought for every touch and every point. There is no single bout I can point to and say 'I should have won that.' There are a few 4-4 bouts that I could have won, but I have no regrets," Friedman said.
Appearing in his third consecutive NCAA Championship, Friedman finished in seventh place out of 24 foils, winning 14 of his 23 bouts during the two-day tournament.
"[Friedman] wasn't intimidated by anybody and he held his own. He even beat opponents he had trouble with in the past. He gave every fencer he competed against a problem," captain and foil Eugene Vortsman '08 said.
The three-person delegation of Friedman, Vortsman and epée Caitlin Kozel '09 scored 25 points combined, putting the Judges in a tie for 17th place overall with Cornell University and the University of North Carolina. Vortsman finished 14th among foils with 11 bout victories, while Kozel finished last of the 24 epeés with six bout wins. Ohio State University won the title with 185 points, nine better than the University of Notre Dame.
Twenty-four collegiate fencers per weapon qualified for the NCAA Championships, which includes members of Division I and III teams. During the initial pool play, each fencer competes in one bout against each of the 23 other fencers. The four fencers with the most victories qualify for the final bracket in a single-elimination tournament, with fencers competing in 15-point bouts to determine the winners.
Friedman finished in 22nd place in 2006 and 23rd last season, but improved significantly on those finishes. Three of his wins came against fencers from Ohio State and Notre Dame. He defeated Ohio State rookie Ben Parkins 5-4, and Notre Dame rookies Steve Kubik and Zach Schirtz by 5-4 and 5-3 margins, respectively.
"There were close matches I could have won, but I fought for every touch and every point. There is no single bout I can point to and say 'I should have won that.' There are a few 4-4 bouts that I could have won, but I have no regrets," Friedman said.
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