Saturday, January 23
New York, N.Y. (NYU)
8 a.m.
Columbia University
13
vs
14
Northwestern (Women)
Fencers Split 10 Matches Against Nation's Elite in NYU Invitational
1/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Fencing
GREENWICH VILLAGE, N.Y. — Facing one of the strongest fields in any collegiate fencing tournament, the Columbia Lions forged a 5-5 split in their first college competition of the 2009-10 season. The women's fencers won three of five matches in the NYU Invitational, and the men's team added two more victories.
"Any time you can earn a 5-5 split against the top teams in the country," head coach George Kolombatovich noted, "you have to consider those fairly good results."
The women's 3-2 showing was even more impressive when you consider they were rocked by a 14-13 loss to Northwestern in the first match of the day-long tournament, in NYU's Jerome Coles Gymnasium.
"We started out a little rough," junior Jackie Jacobson said, "with unforeseen difficulty with Northwestern, but we started fencing very well, and pulled it back."
After the Wildcats staged a late rally to gain the win, giving their coach, Laurie Schiller, his 1000th career victory, Columbia fenced much better in a 15-12 loss to Notre Dame. The Lions then found their stride, surprising Ohio State with a 15-12 win and beating Wayne State, 22-5. Following a lunch break, the Lions capped their comeback surge with a brilliant 16-11 triumph over St. John's.
"We got a lot better during the rest of the day," Jacobson noted.
Junior Nicole Ross, fresh off a fifth place at last week's North American Cup, led the Lions with a 14-1 record in women's foil, a 5-4 loss to Northwestern the only blot on her day. She posted perfect 3-0 marks vs. all of the other teams, beating several nationally-ranked fencers in the process.
Sophomore Sammy Roberts went 10-5 in women's sabre, the only other Lion woman to hit double figures in victories. She won two of three against Ohio State, St. John's and Northwestern. Her fellow sabre fencers, Jacobson and senior Daria Schneider, each won seven bouts, leading the Lion sabre squad to a 29-16 record.
Women's epee went 28-17 behind sophomore Neely Brandfield-Harvey, 9-4, senior Tess Finkel, 8-3, and first-year Lydia Kopecky, 7-6.
The foil team, hurt by the loss of two-year starter Abby Caparros-Janto, who is not in school this semester, was stung even more when senior Alex Huber aggravated an injury and had to leave the lineup.
The Columbia men's team has had to overcome several graduation losses.
"This is not the same team this year," senior co-captain Kurt Getz said, "and there are not the same expectations." Still, Getz was heartened by his teammates' effort. "Everyone fenced really hard," he noted.
The men got off to a promising start when they defeated Stevens Tech, 18-9, in their first match of the day. Getz and senior Isaac Kim in men's foil, and senior Alex Rudnicki in men's sabre, each went 3-0 to lead the win over the Ducks, who are coached by former Columbia All-American Steve Kovacs '95CC.
Following 20-7 losses to Notre Dame and Ohio State, Columbia bounced back with a 15-12 defeat of Wayne State. Senior All-Americans Getz and Jeff Spear each went 3-0 against the Warriors, while four others were 2-1.
In the final men's match of the day, the Lions lost to St. John's, 18-9. Getz was again 3-0 in foil, as Spear (sabre) and fellow senior Dwight Smith (epee) were each 2-1. Getz, who is ranked second nationally, won 12 of 15 bouts, while Spear and Smith both were 10-5.
A number of first-years on both the men's and women's squads were seeing the first collegiate competition of their careers. "Our first-years fenced well," Kolombatovich observed, "under heavy pressure."
Columbia goes from the proverbial frying pan to the fire tomorrow, January 24, when it competes in an invitational meet at John's against Ohio State, Notre Dame and the host Red Storm, plus defending NCAA champion Penn State. The competition, which will be held in Taffner Field House on the Queens campus, begins at 10 a.m.
NYU Invitational
Jerome Coles Gymnasium
January 23, 2010
Men's Fencing (2-3)
18-9 Stevens Tech, 7-20 Notre Dame, 7-20 Ohio State, 15-12 Wayne State, 9-18 St. John's
Leaders: Kurt Getz (F), 12-3; Dwight Smith (E), 10-5; Jeff Spear (S), 10-5; Isaac Kim (F), 6-9; Sean Leahy (E), 6-9
Women's Fencing (3-2)
13-14 Northwestern, 12-15 Notre Dame, 15-12 Ohio State, 22-5 Wayne State, 16-11 St. John's
Leaders: Nicole Ross (F), 14-1; Sammy Roberts (S), 10-5; Neely Brandfield-Harvey (E), 9-4; Tess Finkel (E), 8-3; Daria Schneider (S), 7-5; Jackie Jacobson (S), 7-6; Lydia Kopecky (E), 7-6
"Any time you can earn a 5-5 split against the top teams in the country," head coach George Kolombatovich noted, "you have to consider those fairly good results."
The women's 3-2 showing was even more impressive when you consider they were rocked by a 14-13 loss to Northwestern in the first match of the day-long tournament, in NYU's Jerome Coles Gymnasium.
"We started out a little rough," junior Jackie Jacobson said, "with unforeseen difficulty with Northwestern, but we started fencing very well, and pulled it back."
After the Wildcats staged a late rally to gain the win, giving their coach, Laurie Schiller, his 1000th career victory, Columbia fenced much better in a 15-12 loss to Notre Dame. The Lions then found their stride, surprising Ohio State with a 15-12 win and beating Wayne State, 22-5. Following a lunch break, the Lions capped their comeback surge with a brilliant 16-11 triumph over St. John's.
"We got a lot better during the rest of the day," Jacobson noted.
Junior Nicole Ross, fresh off a fifth place at last week's North American Cup, led the Lions with a 14-1 record in women's foil, a 5-4 loss to Northwestern the only blot on her day. She posted perfect 3-0 marks vs. all of the other teams, beating several nationally-ranked fencers in the process.
Sophomore Sammy Roberts went 10-5 in women's sabre, the only other Lion woman to hit double figures in victories. She won two of three against Ohio State, St. John's and Northwestern. Her fellow sabre fencers, Jacobson and senior Daria Schneider, each won seven bouts, leading the Lion sabre squad to a 29-16 record.
Women's epee went 28-17 behind sophomore Neely Brandfield-Harvey, 9-4, senior Tess Finkel, 8-3, and first-year Lydia Kopecky, 7-6.
The foil team, hurt by the loss of two-year starter Abby Caparros-Janto, who is not in school this semester, was stung even more when senior Alex Huber aggravated an injury and had to leave the lineup.
The Columbia men's team has had to overcome several graduation losses.
"This is not the same team this year," senior co-captain Kurt Getz said, "and there are not the same expectations." Still, Getz was heartened by his teammates' effort. "Everyone fenced really hard," he noted.
The men got off to a promising start when they defeated Stevens Tech, 18-9, in their first match of the day. Getz and senior Isaac Kim in men's foil, and senior Alex Rudnicki in men's sabre, each went 3-0 to lead the win over the Ducks, who are coached by former Columbia All-American Steve Kovacs '95CC.
Following 20-7 losses to Notre Dame and Ohio State, Columbia bounced back with a 15-12 defeat of Wayne State. Senior All-Americans Getz and Jeff Spear each went 3-0 against the Warriors, while four others were 2-1.
In the final men's match of the day, the Lions lost to St. John's, 18-9. Getz was again 3-0 in foil, as Spear (sabre) and fellow senior Dwight Smith (epee) were each 2-1. Getz, who is ranked second nationally, won 12 of 15 bouts, while Spear and Smith both were 10-5.
A number of first-years on both the men's and women's squads were seeing the first collegiate competition of their careers. "Our first-years fenced well," Kolombatovich observed, "under heavy pressure."
Columbia goes from the proverbial frying pan to the fire tomorrow, January 24, when it competes in an invitational meet at John's against Ohio State, Notre Dame and the host Red Storm, plus defending NCAA champion Penn State. The competition, which will be held in Taffner Field House on the Queens campus, begins at 10 a.m.
NYU Invitational
Jerome Coles Gymnasium
January 23, 2010
Men's Fencing (2-3)
18-9 Stevens Tech, 7-20 Notre Dame, 7-20 Ohio State, 15-12 Wayne State, 9-18 St. John's
Leaders: Kurt Getz (F), 12-3; Dwight Smith (E), 10-5; Jeff Spear (S), 10-5; Isaac Kim (F), 6-9; Sean Leahy (E), 6-9
Women's Fencing (3-2)
13-14 Northwestern, 12-15 Notre Dame, 15-12 Ohio State, 22-5 Wayne State, 16-11 St. John's
Leaders: Nicole Ross (F), 14-1; Sammy Roberts (S), 10-5; Neely Brandfield-Harvey (E), 9-4; Tess Finkel (E), 8-3; Daria Schneider (S), 7-5; Jackie Jacobson (S), 7-6; Lydia Kopecky (E), 7-6
Players Mentioned
EPEE
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FOIL
/ Fencing
EPEE
/ Fencing
FOIL
/ Fencing
FOIL
/ Fencing
SABRE
/ Fencing
FOIL
/ Fencing
EPEE
/ Fencing
EPEE
/ Fencing
SABRE
/ Fencing
FOIL
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SABRE
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SABRE
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EPEE
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SABRE
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