Spring Break
FENCING: Women beat Division I teams at Brandeis Invitational
by Ian Cutler
Sports Editor
Sports | 12/9/08
Posted online at 12:59 AM EST on 12/9/08
After securing 14-13 victories over Ivy League foes Cornell University and Brown University, the women's fencing team found itself in another tight match with perennial Division I powerhouse St. John's University at last Sunday's Brandeis Invitational.
With the score tied at 13, saber Anna Hanley '11 won the clinching bout, just the second of nine saber victories for the Judges in the match against St. John's. The win gave the women's team its third and final victory of the afternoon, as they then fell to Yale University by the same score of 14-13. By going 3-1 on the day, the team improved its season record to 11-2 after going 2-1 at the Boston Beanpot Fencing Championship last Wednesday.
"I'm ecstatic about these wins. We haven't beaten all three of those teams in a very long time, and it's great that we only lost to Yale by one bout," foil Jessica Newhall '09 said. "Those are all [Division I] schools, and they're all really good schools in the fencing world."
The men's team lost to all three of its opponents last Sunday, falling 16-11 to Brown, 15-12 to St. John's and 17-10 against Yale. The squad is now 6-5 on the season after going 1-2 in last Wednesday's Beanpot Championship.
Coach Bill Shipman said the women's team's win over St. John's was the most impressive and unexpected. Shipman, who has coached both the men's and women's fencing teams since 1981, said he could not recall the last time the Judges defeated St. John's.
"I don't remember the last time we beat them, but it was in [the] 1990s at least," he said. "Beating them was a bit of a surprise. We stole a few bouts against their scholarship players and beat the rest of them pretty soundly. They're a big power. They have some international fencers and nationally ranked fencers, so that's a big win for us."
Shipman said the victory over Brown was also significant for the women's team. Brandeis lost six of nine saber bouts and five of nine foil bouts, but won the match on the strength of the epée squad, who won seven of their nine bouts.
With the score tied at 13, saber Anna Hanley '11 won the clinching bout, just the second of nine saber victories for the Judges in the match against St. John's. The win gave the women's team its third and final victory of the afternoon, as they then fell to Yale University by the same score of 14-13. By going 3-1 on the day, the team improved its season record to 11-2 after going 2-1 at the Boston Beanpot Fencing Championship last Wednesday.
"I'm ecstatic about these wins. We haven't beaten all three of those teams in a very long time, and it's great that we only lost to Yale by one bout," foil Jessica Newhall '09 said. "Those are all [Division I] schools, and they're all really good schools in the fencing world."
The men's team lost to all three of its opponents last Sunday, falling 16-11 to Brown, 15-12 to St. John's and 17-10 against Yale. The squad is now 6-5 on the season after going 1-2 in last Wednesday's Beanpot Championship.
Coach Bill Shipman said the women's team's win over St. John's was the most impressive and unexpected. Shipman, who has coached both the men's and women's fencing teams since 1981, said he could not recall the last time the Judges defeated St. John's.
"I don't remember the last time we beat them, but it was in [the] 1990s at least," he said. "Beating them was a bit of a surprise. We stole a few bouts against their scholarship players and beat the rest of them pretty soundly. They're a big power. They have some international fencers and nationally ranked fencers, so that's a big win for us."
Shipman said the victory over Brown was also significant for the women's team. Brandeis lost six of nine saber bouts and five of nine foil bouts, but won the match on the strength of the epée squad, who won seven of their nine bouts.
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