Blue Fencing Opens Season at "The Big One"

Blue Fencing Opens Season at "The Big One"

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Wellesley College fencing team had a solid showing at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference "The Big One" Fall Invitational on Saturday. The event, hosted by Smith College, marked the 2013-14 season debut for the Blue. 

All ten of Wellesley's fencers advanced out of the pool play round at the event. In addition, all ten of Wellesley's entries recorded at least two victories on the day.

Highlighting the day for the Blue was senior Dania Wright's 16th place finish in sabre. Wright opened the day with four victories in the pool play round, advancing her to the bracket round of 64. Wright then rattled off a pair of victories to advance to the round of 16, where she eventually fell. Her 16th place finish this year was an improvement of 40 places from the 2012 event.

First-year Jessica Guo made the most of her collegiate debut, recording a top-20 finish in foil. The rookie posted five victories in the pool play round, with her only loss coming at the hand of a Division-I fencer. In the bracket round, she recorded a victory before falling to a UVM fencer to end her day. 

The Blue had a pair of epee fencers record top-25 finishes in junior Kathryn Ledbetter and sophomore Charlotte Treadwell. Ledbetter battled to a 5-1 record in pool play, while Treadwell went 4-2 in pool play. In the bracket round, each fencer picked up a victory, before falling in the round of 32. Ledbetter ended the day with a 21st place ranking, while Treadwell was 24th.

Also competing in epee were junior Diana Lee and senior Courtney Collins. Lee finished 31st overall, picking up a pair of wins in pool play and another in the bracket round. Collins, fencing with her left arm this season, also recorded a pair of victories in pool play. Advancing out of pool play, she finished the day ranked 42nd overall.

Sophomore Camille Samulski and first-year Pamela Wang, rounded out the foil action for the Blue. Samulski ended her day in 30th place, advancing out of the pool play round with three victories. In the bracket, she picked up a victory in the round of 64, before falling in the round of 32. Wang ended her first collegiate event with a 45th place ranking. She recorded two victories in pool play, but fell in the round of 64.

Wrapping up the Wellesley highlights, first-year sabre fencers Alice Xu and Jasmine Davis also fared well at the event. Xu recorded three victories in the pool play round before falling in the round of 64, while Davis nabbed a pair of wins in pool play, also falling in the round of 64. Xu ended the day ranked 42nd, while Davis was 44th.

Wellesley fencing is back in action on November 10th, competing at the 2013 Vassar Invitational.