Wellesley Fencing Opens 2014-15 Season at "The Big One"

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The Wellesley College fencing team kicked off its 2014-15 season on Saturday at Smith College, competing at "The Big One" -- the Fall Invitational of the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference.

Sophomore Pamela Wang led the Blue in women's foil, finishing in sixth place after going unbeaten in pool competition before advancing to the bracket round. Wang earned the fifth seed in the round of 64 and went on to defeat Smith Yuka Oiwa, 15-5, before topping Umass' Jessica Auger, 15-4, in the second round. Wang would advance to the round of eight, after topping Boston University's Sucheta Tamragouri 15-10, before eventually falling to Tamragouri's teammate and the overall winner on the day Nagusa Ogata.

First year Taylor Hood also delivered a strong performance for the Blue in foil, finishing in 15th place. Hood picked up four victories in pool play to earn the 20th overall seed in the bracket round before going on to top Yuna Tsuji of Smith, 15-4, in the round of 64. Hood then defeated Boston College's Amanda Lewis, 15-9, in the round of 32. However, Hood also fell victim to Ogata, falling, 15-7, just one round before she defeated Wang. 

Camille Samulski finished in 26th place in foil, as the Blue junior notched four victories in pool competition before also advancing out of the round of 64. Samulski defeated BU's Susan Piersa 15-6 before falling in the round of 32. Over 72 fencers competed in the foil competition. 

In Women's Epee, Charlotte Treadwell earned four victories in pool competition before advancing two rounds in the bracket. Treadwell defeated Stephanie Guo of Dartmouth, 15-8, in the round of 64 before topping Vanessa Fong of Brandeis, 15-12, to advance to the round of 16. Vassar's Olivia Weiss then earned a narrow 15-13 win to end Treadwell's run. Weiss would go on to finish in a tie for third.

Like Tradewell, Kathryn Ledbetter made a run to the round of 16 after winning four bouts in pool competition. Ledbetter earned victories over Vermont's Rebecca Friedlander, 15-14, and UConn's Hope Whitelock, 15-8, before bowing out in a close 15-11 loss to Mia Volpe of Sacred Heart. 

Vanessa Willaughby also competed in the women's epee event, falling in the round of 64 after earning one victory in the pool round. 

Madeleine Barowsky paced the Blue in Women's Sabre, finishing at 16th overall. Barowsky won four of five bouts in the pool, earning the 19th seed in the round of 64. Barowsky then defeated UConn's Skylar Koll, 15-11, and BU's Caitlin Coons, advancing to the round of 16 before seeing her day end. 

Jasmine Davis and Alice Xu also advanced beyond the round of 64 for the Blue in Women's Sabre. Davis earned a victory over MIT's Irena Marinez in the bracket while Xu defeated Kira Rasmussen of UNH. Cassie Hoef also competed for the Blue in saber, earning a victory in her pool.

Wellesley fencing will return to action next Sunday, November 9th, at the 2014 Vassar Invitational.