CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Wellesley College fencing competed in the first of the two Northeast Fencing Conference dates on the team's 2016-17 schedule on Saturday at MIT. The Blue earned a victory over the University of New Hampshire, while also dropping decisions to Sacred Heart, Boston College, the host Engineers, Brown University and Brandeis University.
Sacred Heart 19, Wellesley 8
The Blue earned a 5-4 victory in epee, but wins in sabre (7-2) and foil (8-1) helped the Pioneers take the 19-8 win. Sophomore Cassandra Cronin (Johns Creek, Ga.) and junior Emma Brewer-Wallin (Salem, Ore.) each earned two victories in epee, with Brewer-Wallin also winning the deciding bout. Senior Jasmine Davis (Long Valley, N.J.) and junior Madeleine Barowsky (Framingham, Mass.) each notched wins in sabre, while junior Taylor Hood (Lexington, Ky.) earned the lone Wellesley win in foil.
Boston College 18, Wellesley 9
The Eagles soared past the Blue in the second round of action, earning victories in all three weapons. First year Brie Maurer (Fredericksburg, Va.) went 3-0 in foil but BC still managed to grab a 5-4 victory. In epee, Brewer-Wallin started the round with a win and finished with a 2-1 record as the Blue fell 6-3. Davis grabbed another win in sabre, and sophomore Meg Harney (Wilmette, Ill.) added a victory of her own, but it wasn't enough, as BC took a 7-2 final.
Wellesley 23, UNH 4
The Blue got on the board with a 23-4 victory over the Wildcats in the third round of action. Harney, Davis and Barowsky led the way for the Blue, combining to go 9-0 and earn Wellesley the victory in sabre. In epee, Cronin went 3-0 and Hannah Schmidt (Oshkosh, Wis.) and sophomore Malak Alsayyad (Cairo, Egypt) each went 2-1 to grab the Blue a 7-2 win. Wellesley also went 7-2 in foil, as Maurer went 3-0 and classmates Calla Nelles-Sager (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Sara Guise (Silver Spring, Md.) each finished 2-1.
MIT 18, Wellesley 9
Wellesley dropped all three weapons in their fourth round match-up with local rival MIT. Maurer went 2-1 in foil and Hood earned a win but MIT took the remaining bouts to earn a 6-3 win. The Engineers continued to cruise in epee, taking a 7-2 final, before closing out the win with a tightly-contested 5-4 victory in sabre. In sabre, Barowsky led the way for the Blue with a 3-0 mark, with Harney also earning a win.
Brown 15, Wellesley 12
Following a bye in the fifth round of action, Wellesley returned in the sixth round to battle Brown. Wellesley took the victory in sabre, 5-4, but dropped a 6-3 final in foil and a 5-4 decision in epee against a strong squad. Davis carried the Blue in sabre, going 3-0, including a 5-4 win in the deciding bout. Barowsky and Harney also added wins. Maurer added two more wins in foil, while Brewer-Wallin and Cronin each went 2-1 in epee.
Brandeis 16, Wellesley 11
Wellesley ended the day with a 16-11 setback against Brandeis. Despite the team result, the sabre squad earned another victory, this time winning by a 6-3 margin. Davis, Barowsky, and Harney each went 2-1. Brandeis got out to a 4-0 lead in epee before Brewer-Wallin grabbed two wins and Cronin earned another, but it wasn't enough as the Judges took the 6-3 win. Brandeis then closed out the win with a 7-2 victory in foil, despite a 2-1 record from Maurer. The Blue and Judges will meet again on Wednesday, January 25, at Wellesley.
Wellesley returns to action on Wednesday, December 7, when they travel to Harvard for a 6:00 PM contest.
