Feb. 7, 2016

Duke Duals Women’s Match Reports

By Joanne Norell

DURHAM, N.C. — The No. 2 University of Notre Dame women’s fencing team turned in a 5-0 record Sunday to remain undefeated during the Duke Duals at Card Gymnasium in Durham, North Carolina.

The Irish (35-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) opened the day with a 16-10 win over host and ACC counterpart Duke, led by senior Catherine Lee, who went 3-0 in foil, and sophomore Francesca Russo and freshman Tara Hassett who were undefeated in sabre.

Notre Dame then notched a pair of victories over top 10 opponents. The Irish defeated No. 10 Temple 17-10, then upended No. 9 Penn State 16-11. Freshman epeeist Madeline Antekeier went 3-0 against the Owls, while six other Irish posted 2-1 marks. Against the Nittany Lions, foilists Elyssa Kleiner and Erin Dietsche were 3-0, while squad member Nicole McKee was 2-1. Russo, Hassett and Claudia Kulmacz were also 2-1 in sabre against Penn State.

The Irish dominated Brandeis 24-3, including a 9-0 showing by the sabre squad. Antekeier, Dietsche and Kleiner also posted 3-0 sheets in their respective weapons.

The Irish capped the day with another win over an ACC foe, defeating North Carolina 24-3. The foil squad was 9-0 against the Tar Heels, while the sabre team went 8-1 and the epee group was 7-2. Lee and Antekeier were 3-0 in epee, while Hassett and Kulmacz were the undefeated sabreuses against UNC.

Overall, Kleiner (foil) and Hassett (sabre) led the Irish with 13-2 marks on the day, while Dietsche (foil) and Kulmacz (sabre) were 12-3. McKee (foil), Russo (sabre) and Lee (epee) each went 11-4 on the day.

The Irish will return to the strip February 27-28 when they host the ACC Championships at the Castellan Family Fencing Center. It will be the first ACC Championship that Notre Dame has hosted in any sport.

DUKE DUALS
Card Gymnasium
February 6-7, 2016
Sunday (Women’s Competition)
No. 2 Notre Dame 17, Duke 10
Epee (4-5)
Lee 3-0
Antekeier 1-2
Roche 0-3
Foil (5-4)
McKee 2-1
Kleiner 2-1
Dietsche 1-2
Sabre (8-1)
Russo 3-0
Hassett 3-0
Kulmacz 2-1
No. 2 Notre Dame 17, No. 10 Temple 10
Epee (6-3)
Antekeier 3-0
Lee 2-1
Roche 1-2
Foil (6-3)
McKee 2-1
Kleiner 2-1
Dietsche 2-1
Sabre (5-4)
Hassett 2-1
Kulmacz 2-1
Russo 1-2
No. 2 Notre Dame 16, No. 9 Penn State 11
Epee (2-7)
Lee 1-2
Roche 1-2
Antekeier 0-3
Foil (8-1)
Kleiner 3-0
Dietsche 3-0
McKee 2-1
Sabre (6-3)
Russo 2-1
Hassett 2-1
Kulmacz 2-1
No. 2 Notre Dame 24, Brandeis 3
Epee (7-2)
Antekeier 3-0
Lee 2-1
Roche 2-1
Foil (8-1)
Dietsche 3-0
Kleiner 3-0
McKee 2-1
Sabre (9-0)
Russo 3-0
Hassett 3-0
Kulmacz 3-0
No. 2 Notre Dame 24, North Carolina 3
Epee (7-2)
Lee 3-0
Antekeier 3-0
Roche 1-2
Foil (9-0)
Dietsche 3-0
Kleiner 3-0
McKee 3-0
Sabre (8-1)
Hassett 3-0
Kulmacz 3-0
Russo 2-1

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To keep up with Irish fencing, visit UND.com/NDFencing, follow @NDFencing on Twitter and like Notre Dame Fencing on Facebook.

–ND–

Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.