Jan. 23, 2010
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Fighting Irish fencing teams opened their 2010 season in style at the New York University Invitational on Saturday at the Jerome S. Coles Sports Center, winning all 12 matches they participated in including a sweep of rival Ohio State to cap off the performance. The Irish were led by sophomore epeeist Courtney Hurley (San Antonio, Texas), who turned in a perfect 15-0 mark on the day.
The second-ranked men earned wins over ninth-ranked Yale (17-10), sixth-ranked Columbia (20-7), Stevens Tech (22-5), eighth-ranked St. John’s (18-9), NYU (20-7) and third-ranked Ohio State (16-11). The women, who are also ranked second, earned wins over tenth-ranked Yale (17-10), fourth-ranked Columbia (15-12), fifth-ranked Northwestern (17-10), St. John’s (17-10), NYU (23-4) and sixth-ranked Ohio State (14-13). The women’s win over Columbia was particularly impressive as they came back from a 0-5 deficit.
Men’s Individual Results
The men’s epee side was led by freshman James Kaull (Washington, D.C.) and junior Greg Schoolcraft (San Jose, Calif.). Kaull, who was making his Irish debut, turned in a 12-5 record on the day and was the model of consistency as he recorded two wins in all six of Notre Dame’s bouts. Schoolcraft finished with an 11-7 record on the day, highlighted by 3-0 performances against Columbia and St. John’s. Also in epee, junior Jacob Osborne (Colleyville, Texas) posted a 7-4 mark, junior captain Andrew Seroff (Boulder, Colo.) a 3-3 record and Conor Gettings (Lake Forest, Il.) rounded out the Irish lineup with a 1-1 mark.
The men’s foil team had a dominating day as sophomore Reggie Bentley (Little Rock, Ark.), sophomore Enzo Castellani (Keller, Texas), junior Steve Kubik (San Antonio, Texas), sophomore Gerek Meinhardt (SanFransicso, Calif.) and junior captain Zach Schirtz (Rochester, N.Y.) combined to post a 43-11 mark which included a perfect 9-0 record against Stevens Tech and an 8-1 mark versus NYU. Meinhardt led the way with 12 wins against just one loss and Kubik and Castellani each chipped in with 9-1 records. Schirtz went 7-5 and Bentley turned in a 6-3 record.
Notre Dame’s junior All-American duo of Barron Nydam (Rancho Sante Fe, Calif.) and Avery Zuck (Beaverton, Ore.) led the men’s sabre squad, as Nydam went 13-4 on the day and Zuck 12-4. Freshman Jason Choy (Basking Ridge, N.J.) made his Irish debut and posted a 9-6 record as the third starter. Sophomores Keith Feldman (Stony Brook, N.Y.) and Marcel Frenkel (San Paulo, Brazil) each added a win.
Women’s Individual Results
In addition to Courtney Hurley’s 15 wins, the women’s epee team received 12 wins from senior captain Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas), including two wins in Notre Dame’s close epee bouts versus Northwestern and Columbia. Sophomore Diane Zielinski (Bernardsville, N.J.) added nine wins, pushing her career mark over the 50-win plateau (55-13). Senior Vanessa Rosa (El Paso, Texas) also added a win.
Junior captain Hayley Reese (Crestwood, Ky.) and sophomore Radmilla Sarkisova (Grand Rapids, Mich.) each turned in nine wins to lead the women’s foil squad. Sophomore Darsie Malynn (Grapevine, Texas) added five wins, including 2-0 performances versus Yale and NYU. The freshman foil tandem of Grace Hartman (St. Paul, Minn.) and Phenix Messersmith (El Cerrito, Calif.) made their Irish debut, with Hartman posting a 6-3 mark and Messersmith adding a 3-1 record.
Three Irish fencers notched at least 10 wins for the women’s sabre team, including freshman Abigail Nichols (Concord, Mass.), who went 12-5 in her Irish debut. Junior Eileen Hassett (Beaverton, Ore.) had 11 wins, including a 3-0 record versus Ohio State. Hassett’s classmate Sarah Borrmann (Beaverton, Ore.) also reached 10 wins as she turned in a 10-5 record that included 3-0 performances versus Yale and St. John’s. Sophomore Beatriz Almeida (Chappagua, N.Y.) chipped in with three wins, all of which came against NYU. Freshman Kathryn Palazzoto (Nutley, N.J.) added three wins as well.
The Irish return to the strip tomorrow, Jan. 24 when they participate in the St. John’s Challenge at Carnesecca Arena in Jamaica, N.Y. Fencing begins at 10:00 am when Notre Dame takes on #8 (men)/RV (women) St. John’s. The Irish will also face #7/3 Harvard, #1/1 Penn State and #5/4 Columbia. A complete recap of Notre Dame’s performance at the event will be posted on und.com.
Notes: The men’s squad now owns a 50-match winning streak dating back to the 2008 Northwestern Duals (last lost to Penn State), which ties for the fourth longest unbeaten streak in program history … carrying over from last season, the Irish women now own a 30-match winning streak, which is the seventh longest streak in program history.
Complete Irish Results (Men)#2 Notre Dame def. #9 Yale 17-10 (MS 5-4, MF 6-3, ME 6-3)#2 Notre Dame def. #6 Columbia 20-7 (MS 6-3, MF 8-1, ME 6-3)#2 Notre Dame def. Stevens Tech 22-5 (MS 6-3, MF 9-0, ME 7-2)# 2 Notre Dame def. #8 St. John's 18-9 (MS 6-3, MF 5-4, ME 7-2)#2 Notre Dame def. NYU 20-7 (MS 8-1, MF 8-1, ME 4-5)#2 Notre Dame def. #3 Ohio State 14-13 (MS 5-4, MF 2-7, ME 7-2)
Complete Irish Results (Women)#2 Notre Dame def. #10 Yale 21-6 (WS 7-2, WF 8-1, WE 6-3)#2 Notre Dame def. #4 Columbia 15-12 (WS 5-4, WF 5-4, WE 5-4)#2 Notre Dame def. #5 Northwestern 17-10 (WS 6-3, WF 6-3, WE 5-4)#2 Notre Dame def. St. John's 17-10 (WS 7-2, WF 3-6, WE 7-2)#2 Notre Dame def. NYU 23-4 (WS 9-0, WF 7-2, WE 7-2)#2 Notre Dame def. #6 Ohio State 16-11 (WS 5-4, WF 7-2, WE 4-5)
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