Jan. 31, 2015

EVANSTON, Ill. – The University of Notre Dame took a day trip in to Chicago, fencing in the annual Northwestern Duals. Both the men’s and the women’s teams were undefeated, with the women’s team going 7-0 and the men’s team going 6-0.

“I was really impressed with the poise and determination of our athletes,” Irish head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia states. “I was very excited to see that unlike last weekend, most of the close matches ended in our favor this trip.”

Starting the morning off with a bye, the men’s team watched as the women’s team beat No. 3 ranked Princeton, 14-13. Despite an epee loss of 6-3, the foil team won their bouts 6-3 and sabre clinched the victory with their 5-4 performance.

In the second round, the men’s team earned a 16-11 win against No. 7 Princeton (epee lost, 5-4, but foil won 7-2 and sabre followed suit, 5-4). The women meanwhile defeated Pennsylvania , 18-9 (epee, 6-3, foil, 8-1, sabre lost 5-4).

In round three, Pennsylvania still couldn’t earn a win against the Irish, as the men’s team – epee, 5-4, foil, 8-1, sabre 5-4 – beat them. A few strips over, the women’s team beat Northwestern for the third time this season, 17-10 (epee 6-3, foil 7-2, sabre, 4-5).

In the fourth round, the men’s team again faced a bye as the women fenced Temple; in what had by now become a pattern for the Irish, the women won, 15-12, on the strength of their foil squad that went 6-3 for the round.

In rounds five through seven, both teams faced the same squad, besting Stanford (men, 15-12, women, 24-3), Air Force (men, 20-7, women, 22-5) and UC San Diego (men, 19-8, women, 21-6). The men went on to fence in an eighth round after the women’s team was finished, destroying Cal Tech 25-2 (epee, 7-2, foil and sabre both were undefeated 9-0).

The Irish are now 20-2 in women’s and 13-6 in men’s competition. They are next in action Feb. 7 and 8 as hosts of the second annual DeCicco Duals.

Lizzie Mikes,

Media Services Coordinator

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