Feb. 10, 2013
DURHAM, N.C. – The University of Notre Dame women’s fencing team earned a clean sweep of its dual opponents Sunday at the Duke Fencing Home Meet inside Card Gym.
The Irish, ranked No. 1 in the most recent CollegeFencing360.com Coaches Poll, rolled to a 20-7 win over No. 5 Penn State, a 16-11 decision against host Duke and an additional 20-7 triumph over North Carolina to finish with a 3-0 team mark. Notre Dame (20-1) was without top epeeists Courtney Hurley (28-5 this season) and Ewa Nelip (40-6) and foilist Madison Zeiss (26-13).
Sophomore Ashley Severson was the standout for women’s epee, logging a perfect 9-0 bout record to lead the squad to a cumulative mark of 19-8 during the competition. Classmate Nicole Ameli was unbeaten against Duke and North Carolina (3-0), running her season record to 38-8 in 2013.
The women’s foil squad stole the show for the Irish Sunday, compiling an impressive 24-3 slate among five different fencers. Juniors Adriana Camacho (7-0) and Rachel Beck (6-0), and freshman Lee Kiefer (6-0) led all foilists with unblemished dual records, while freshman Nicole McKee finished the day 4-2.
Notre Dame’s senior duo of Lian Osier and Abigail Nichols paced the sabre team with four victories each, while freshman Johanna Thill (3-3) and senior Kathryn Palazzoto (2-1) also added bout wins.
The Irish will host the Notre Dame Duals Feb. 23 inside the Castellan Family Fencing Center.
Duke Fencing Home Meet
Card Gym
Durham, N.C.
No. 1 Notre Dame 20, No. 5 Penn State 7 (Epee: 9-0; Foil: 7-2; Sabre: 4-5)
No. 1 Notre Dame 16, Duke 11 (Epee: 4-5; Foil: 8-1; Sabre: 4-5)
No. 1 Notre Dame 20, North Carolina 7 (Epee: 6-3; Foil: 9-0; Sabre 5-4)
–ND–