NEW YORK—Columbia Fencing hosted its first four-way dual meet of the 2021-22 season as the Lions competed against Stevens, NJIT, and Johns Hopkins Friday evening at the Dodge Fitness Center University Gymnasium. Columbia's men's and women's teams went undefeated in all three dual matches as the women finished 3-0 and men went 3-0 to complete the sweep.
 
The women defeated Stevens 22-5, claimed an 18-9 win over NJIT and won a 23-4 decision over Johns Hopkins. The men registered an 18-9 win over Stevens, 23-4 win over NJIT, and 17-8 decision over Johns Hopkins.
 
With the victories, Columbia's women improve to 11-0, while the men's squad now owns a 10-0 record. The evening's matchups marked Columbia's final competition of its fall season.
 
"We have 54 fencers this year and one of the philosophies of our team is to prepare everyone for upcoming competition," Head Coach Michael Aufrichtig. "We are giving everyone a chance to have playing time. Everyone that participated this evening did not compete in Colorado. We are giving everyone the opportunity to fence in order for us to find the best combinations later in the season."
 
Against Stevens, the Columbia women jumped out to a commanding lead and never looked back. Ruoqui Fei, Christelle Ko, and Vivian Zheng each went 3-0 as the Lions swept foil, Nika Flilippov went 3-0 in epee and the Lions grabbed a 7-2 win in sabre. The men's matchup was much closer as the Lions claimed back-to-back 5-4 wins in foil and epee and sabre. Zachary Binder won three bouts, including the decisive fifth point in foil and Julian Maldonaldo won the fifth point in epee. Columbia's sabre team clinched the win by taking eight of nine bouts, led by three wins apiece from Jackson McBride and Josef Cohen.
 
In fencing against NJIT for the second straight week, the Lions men's team secured the victory with a 9-0 foil and 6-3 epee score en route to a 23-4 victory. Sidarth Kumbla, Binder and Ashton Daniel each won three foil bouts while Noe Schouker won the decisive 14^th point in epee. Jackson McBride and Cohen each won three sabre bouts. In women's, Columbia parlayed eight foils wins, led by three from Zander Rhodes, five epee wins and five sabre wins including the clincher by Chiara Di Perna.
 
In the final round, both foil squads gave Columbia big leads early in the match. In women's, the Lions foil squad swept 9-0 as Sylvie Binder, Zander Rhodes, and Fei each went 3-0. The Lions' epeeists extended the lead as Kenya Plenty secured the 14^th point to guarantee the team win. Columbia's sabre squad took eight of the nine bouts led by Chiara DiPerna's three victories. Columbia's men took a 7-2 foil lead over Johns Hopkins but the visitors rallied for a 6-3 win in epee to close the gap. But Columbia's sabre squad, led by Cohen's three wins, secured the victory with seven wins in nine bouts.
 
"I'm really impressed with the fencers that weren't fencing today and cheering on their teammates," Aufrichtig said. "They brought energy I haven't seen. Our captains were also great. Zachary Binder, Ruoqui Fei both fenced very well today. We had some of our seniors who didn't participate in Colorado alongside our first-years who also performed well."
 
Columbia entered the evening after a successful nine-medal Max Garret Open at Penn State and an undefeated weekend at the Air Force Western Invitational. Columbia's next collegiate competition is scheduled for Jan. 16 at the Penn State Invitational where the Lions will take on North Carolina, Duke, Penn State, Yale, Penn, Haverford Men, and Temple Women.
 
COLUMBIA INVITATIONAL RESULTS
Friday, November 19, 2021
New York, N.Y. | Dodge Fitness Center (Blue Gym/Columbia Fencing Room)
 
Round One
Columbia Women 22, Stevens Women 5 (University Gymnasium)
Columbia Men 18, Stevens Men 9 (University Gymnasium)
NJIT Women 16, Johns Hopkins Women 11 (Columbia Fencing Room)
Johns Hopkins Men 15, NJIT Men 12 (Columbia Fencing Room)
 
Round Two
Columbia Women 18, NJIT Women 9 (University Gymnasium)
Columbia Men 23, NJIT Women 4 (University Gymnasium)
Johns Hopkins Women 19, Stevens Women 8 (Columbia Fencing Room)
Stevens Men 14, Johns Hopkins Men 13 (Columbia Fencing Room)
 
Round Three
Columbia Women 23, Johns Hopkins Women 4 (University Gymnasium)
Columbia Men 17, Johns Hopkins Men 10 (University Gymnasium)
 
All matches contested at Columbia's Dodge Fitness Center on the Columbia University campus.