Spring Break
FENCING: Teams fence well versus top programs
by Andrew Ng
Staff writer
Sports | 2/3/09
Posted online at 4:15 AM EST on 2/3/09
After miscalculating the score in the third round of the Brandeis/MIT Invitational last Sunday, Coach Bill Shipman believed that the women's fencing team had lost against New York University and, with no chance at a comeback, prepared to play the substitutes for the final épée bouts. However, captain and saber Jenny Press '09 retallied the scores for the match and realized the Judges were down at just 13-12 and still had a chance to win.
The Judges tied the score at 13 and épée Caitlin Kozel '09 was unexpectedly called upon to compete in the deciding bout. She did so handily, winning 5-2 to lead the Judges to a 14-13 victory.
"There was no pressure because no one had any idea what was going on," Kozel said.
The women's team finished the day 3-3 with wins against Yeshiva University (25-2) and Haverford College (18-9) and losses against Princeton University (10-17), Duke University (13-14) and the University of Pennsylvania (7-20). The men's team finished 2-4, defeating Yeshiva (24-3) and Haverford (16-11) and losing to Princeton (7-20), Duke (9-18), NYU (12-15), and UPenn (7-20).
"The level of competition was a little higher than we are normally accustomed to," Shipman said. "We needed to fence smarter than we had in our previous matches, but I think both teams performed well."
The women's team also defeated Wellesley College 18-9 last Wednesday led by a 9-0 sweep by the saber squad.
In addition to competing in one of the longest meets of the year, players said the squad also struggled to maintain focus throughout the day after competing against Wellesley earlier in the week.
"Everyone was fencing for every touch. We had our lunch earlier, so we had a hard time refocusing and re-energizing ourselves after the break," captain, foil and saber Jessica Davis-Heim '09 said. "We try to get into competitive bouts with each other before we compete against other teams, but today we were a bit sluggish after the break,"
The Judges tied the score at 13 and épée Caitlin Kozel '09 was unexpectedly called upon to compete in the deciding bout. She did so handily, winning 5-2 to lead the Judges to a 14-13 victory.
"There was no pressure because no one had any idea what was going on," Kozel said.
The women's team finished the day 3-3 with wins against Yeshiva University (25-2) and Haverford College (18-9) and losses against Princeton University (10-17), Duke University (13-14) and the University of Pennsylvania (7-20). The men's team finished 2-4, defeating Yeshiva (24-3) and Haverford (16-11) and losing to Princeton (7-20), Duke (9-18), NYU (12-15), and UPenn (7-20).
"The level of competition was a little higher than we are normally accustomed to," Shipman said. "We needed to fence smarter than we had in our previous matches, but I think both teams performed well."
The women's team also defeated Wellesley College 18-9 last Wednesday led by a 9-0 sweep by the saber squad.
In addition to competing in one of the longest meets of the year, players said the squad also struggled to maintain focus throughout the day after competing against Wellesley earlier in the week.
"Everyone was fencing for every touch. We had our lunch earlier, so we had a hard time refocusing and re-energizing ourselves after the break," captain, foil and saber Jessica Davis-Heim '09 said. "We try to get into competitive bouts with each other before we compete against other teams, but today we were a bit sluggish after the break,"
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Peter Brand
posted 2/05/09 @ 10:29 PM EST
Go Brandeis fencing.
P.Brand
Head Fencing Coach
Harvard University
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