Spring Break
FENCING: Squads finish in top tiers
by Andrew Ng
Staff writer
Fencing | 2/24/09
Posted online at 4:27 AM EST on 2/24/09
In preparation for the upcoming Intercollegiate Fencing Association Championships and the NCAA Regional Championships, Coach Bill Shipman left some of his best men's and women's fencers on the bench for the New England Championships at Mount Holyoke College last Sunday.
The women's team fenced without captain, foil and saber Jess Davis-Heim '09, foils Jessica Newhall '09 and Alexandra Dalrymple '11 and épées Caitlin Kozel '09 and Emma Larkin '09. Captain and foil Will Friedman '09, sabers Adam Austin '11 and Jon Rollock '11 and épée Will Bedor '10 did not fence for the men's squad.
Despite those absences, the women's team finished in fourth place out of 14 teams, and the men's team finished in sixth place out of 13 teams.
"Overall, the women had a pretty incredible performance, more so than the men," Shipman said.
But captain and saber Jenny Press '09 did not share Shipman's optimism.
"We didn't do terribly, but I expected a lot more from us because I truly believe that we were better than every single team at the meet," she said. "I think everyone was still tired and out of sync coming out of our February vacation. We didn't fall out of shape, but we definitely weren't as sharp mentally."
Foil Julia Mouk '10 and épée Emily Mandel '11 led the shorthanded women's squad. Mouk finished 10-4 in the team competition, advancing to the final round, and placed fourth individually. Mandel finished 8-3 on the day and eighth individually.
On the men's side, foil Dan Lanzara '09 and saber Alex Brand '10 were forced to fence out of position.
"[Lanzara] fenced in the first position and faced some of the best fencers at the meet, which was unusual for him and probably put a little bit of additional pressure on him and made him a little uncomfortable," Shipman said.
Foil Andrew Mandel '11 seized the opportunity to compete, dropping only two bouts in the team competition and finishing 12th in the individual competition.
The women's team fenced without captain, foil and saber Jess Davis-Heim '09, foils Jessica Newhall '09 and Alexandra Dalrymple '11 and épées Caitlin Kozel '09 and Emma Larkin '09. Captain and foil Will Friedman '09, sabers Adam Austin '11 and Jon Rollock '11 and épée Will Bedor '10 did not fence for the men's squad.
Despite those absences, the women's team finished in fourth place out of 14 teams, and the men's team finished in sixth place out of 13 teams.
"Overall, the women had a pretty incredible performance, more so than the men," Shipman said.
But captain and saber Jenny Press '09 did not share Shipman's optimism.
"We didn't do terribly, but I expected a lot more from us because I truly believe that we were better than every single team at the meet," she said. "I think everyone was still tired and out of sync coming out of our February vacation. We didn't fall out of shape, but we definitely weren't as sharp mentally."
Foil Julia Mouk '10 and épée Emily Mandel '11 led the shorthanded women's squad. Mouk finished 10-4 in the team competition, advancing to the final round, and placed fourth individually. Mandel finished 8-3 on the day and eighth individually.
On the men's side, foil Dan Lanzara '09 and saber Alex Brand '10 were forced to fence out of position.
"[Lanzara] fenced in the first position and faced some of the best fencers at the meet, which was unusual for him and probably put a little bit of additional pressure on him and made him a little uncomfortable," Shipman said.
Foil Andrew Mandel '11 seized the opportunity to compete, dropping only two bouts in the team competition and finishing 12th in the individual competition.
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