Bulldog fencers skewer the competition

By Raymond Kim

COURTESY DON CLARK

Cherie Chen, MC'97, faces off against an opponent.

Contrary to the often disappointing performance of higher-profile Yale sports, the fencing teams have quietly but surely dispatched their opponents.

Both the men's and women's squads won the Ivy League title last year and are determined to finish the season as champions this year as well.

Fencing consists of three divisions named after the weapons involved: epée, foil, and sabre. Though the weapons all appear similar, they differ significantly in terms of technique and target. For instance, one hits with the side of blade in sabre.

The main difference, Ayo Griffin, SM '00 explained, is in the timing, which comes from the rules, target areas, and the nature of the weapons. Three contestants fight in each of the men's divisions; four fight in the epée and foil divisions for the women.

Returning all but two starters on each squad, both teams started the season strongly. The women have beaten all their non-league opponents handily, including NYU, Cornell, and CCNY, leaving two of the teams scoreless. The men beat NYU decisively but then suffered a difficult loss to St. John's.

The teams commenced Ivy League play with an impressive double-win this past Wednesday. The women continued their hot streak, beating Columbia 18-14.

The Bulldogs were led by the stellar performance of epée Sharon Katz, MC '98, who went 3-0. The Yale women's foil squad lost 6-10, but the Bulldogs secured the victory with a 12-4 tally in the epée division.

"This was a key win because Columbia has a strong foil division, probably very highly ranked, " Katz said. "This proves that we have a strong women's team."

Sara Pollack, SY '97, a member of the epée squad, attributed the team's success to their closeness. "We're a very cohesive team. We practice together, have high morale as a team. We're confident about everything and we stick together," she said. Katz stressed the team's experience, strength, and winning combination of seasoned veterans and talented recruits.

The men's squad was equally successful, beating Columbia, 16-11. The Blue was fueled by 7-2 and 7-2 wins in the sabre and foil divisions, and pulled out the win despite Columbia's strong 7-2 showing in the epée competition.

Peter Devine, MC '99, and Ayo Griffin, both went undefeated. Their respective 3-0 tallies helped catapult the Bulldogs to what they hope will be the first of many Ivy League victories.

As the season progresses, the Bulldogs look toward further improvement. "We are becoming more aware of our strengths and weakness, learning to develop as a team together," Griffin said.

Furthermore, both the men's and women's teams are young. Since very few starters will be lost to graduation, next year's squad looks promising as well.

The remainder of the schedule sustains a high level of competion for both squads. The defeat of Columbia brought the Yale women's record top 5-0 overall, 2-0 in the Ivy League.

The only thing standing between the Blue and White and the league championship are pivotal matches against U Penn, Harvard, and Princeton, all of whom Yale bested last season. The men, who are not as far into their season as the women, improved to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the Ivy League.

With such bright prospects, Pollack encouraged her fellow students to attend the home meets.

"I love it when a lot of people are there. People are often surprised that it's so exciting," she said.

Since the object of fencing is to strike the opponent five times within the boundries of the target, close matches can depend on mere touchés. In crucial situations such as these, a large crowd can give the home-team a decided edge over the opposition.

With only three meets left, Katz emphasized the importance and impact of the crowd's presence. "Although spectators watch from the balcony, they often forget that they are allowed to cheer and root for us. Being in such close proximity, the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd fills the room -- it gets you excited... it makes a difference not only for Yale, but for the opponents as well. It is an intimidation factor," Katz said.

"The team's spirits are very high," head coach Henry Harutunian said. With their winning attitude, both men's and women's fencing promise very exciting and successful seasons.

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