COLUMBUS, Ohio — In the first competition in almost 11 months, the University of Notre Dame fencing team started the 2021 season off strong on the first day of the Ohio State Invitational. The men and women both went 3-0 on the day with a number of strong individual performances.
The women’s foil squad was dominant for the Irish with a 26-1 mark for the day. Stefani Deschner (9-0), Amita Berthier (6-0) and Jane Caulfield (6-0) all ended the first day with undefeated records. In her first meet for the Irish, freshman epeeist Kaylin Hsieh tallied an 8-1 mark. Fellow freshman sabreuse Daria Kudriavtseva posted a 5-2 record in her first collegiate meet.
On the men’s side, junior sabreur Jared Smith led the way with a 6-0 mark. Freshman sabreur Luke Linder, younger brother of Kara Linder, shined in his first meet with the Irish after finishing the day with a 7-1 record.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish started the weekend off against one of their strongest opponents of the season in the Penn State Nittany Lions. The men and women took care of business, both securing wins as the men claimed a 19-8 victory and the women went 20-7 against Penn State.
A number of Irish made their collegiate debuts against Penn State including L. Linder (2-0), Atara Greenbaum (3-0), Kudriavtseva (3-0), Hsieh (2-1) and Amanda Pirkowski (0-1). A strong core of veterans made their return for the Irish after taking the previous season off. Nick Itkin (2-1), Berthier (3-0), Ariel Simmons (2-1) and Stephen Ewart (2-1) all returned to the strip for the blue and gold against Penn State to kick off the competition.
The Irish kept it rolling against the host Ohio State with the women tallying another 20-7 win and the men went 16-11. The women’s foil squad was dominant against the Buckeyes, going a perfect 9-0 after Berthier, Stefani Deschner and Jane Caulfield all posted 3-0 marks. Hsieh also posted a 3-0 record against Ohio State. Itkin and Jared Smith put together 3-0 marks against the Buckeyes.
In the final match, the Irish handled NJIT to go perfect on the first day of competition. The women bested the Highlanders 21-6 and the men went 19-8. Deschner picked up her 100 career win in the final match of the day against the Highlanders.
UP NEXT
The Irish will hit the strip again on Sunday for the final day of the Ohio State Invitational. The women will go up against Temple to open the day and then both squads will square off against Air Force and Penn State. First match of the day will start at 8 a.m. from French Field House.
RESULTS
Ohio State Invitational
French Field House
Columbus, OH
Feb. 6, 2021
Women’s Results
Notre Dame 20, Penn State 7
Sabre (8-1): Atara Greenbaum 3-0, Daria Kudriavtseva 3-0, Kara Linder 2-1
Foil (8-1): Stefani Deschner 3-0, Amita Berthier 3-0, Isabelle Elizondo 2-1
Epee (4-5): Kaylin Hsieh 2-1, Miriam Grady 2-1, Dasha Yefremenko 0-2, Amanda Pirkowski 0-1
Notre Dame 20, Ohio State 7
Sabre (4-5): Kudriavtseva 2-1, Greenbaum 1-2, K. Linder 1-2
Foil (9-0): Jane Caulfield 3-0, Berthier 3-0, Deschner 3-0
Epee (7-2): Hsieh 3-0, Grady 2-1, Pirkowski 2-1
Notre Dame 21, NJIT 6
Sabre (5-4): Kudriavtseva 2-1, Greenbaum 2-1, Neve Harrison 1-2
Foil (9-0): Deschner 3-0, Caulfield 3-0, Elizondo 3-0
Epee (7-2): Grady 3-0, Hsieh 3-0, Yefremenko 1-1, Pirkowski 0-1
Men’s Results
Notre Dame 19, Penn State 8
Sabre (8-1): Jared Smith 3-0, Luke Linder 2-0, Malcolm Fields 2-1, George Bivins 1-0
Foil (6-3): Nick Itkin 2-1, Andrew Machovec 2-1, Marcello Olivares 2-1
Epee (5-4): Stephen Ewart 2-1, Ariel Simmons 2-1, Hunter Candreva 1-2
Notre Dame 16, Ohio State 11
Sabre (6-3): Smith 3-0, L. Linder 2-1, Fields 1-2
Foil (6-3): Itkin 3-0, Joseph Marino 2-1, Olivares 2-1
Epee (4-5): Simmons 2-1, Joshua Zhang 1-1, Ewart 1-2, Candreva 0-1
Notre Dame 19, NJIT 8
Sabre (6-3): L. Linder 3-0, Fields 2-1, Bivins 1-2
Foil (6-3): Olivares 3-0, Machovec 2-1, Marino 1-2
Epee (7-2): Ewart 3-0, Simmons 2-1, Zhang 1-0, Candreva 1-1
—ND—