Ward Breaks Own Wins Record at Temple Invitational

Saturday, February 25

Philadelphia, Pa.

All Day

Duke University

Day One at Temple Duals

Ward Enshrined in USA Fencing Hall of Fame

Ward Breaks Own Wins Record at Temple Invitational

2/25/2012 9:27:00 PM | Fencing

By: Duke Sports Information

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Despite a record-breaking day by senior women's saber Becca Ward and a 2-1 showing from the Duke men's sabers, the Duke women went 0-4 and the Duke men 0-3 at the Temple Invitational on Saturday in McGonigle Hall. All seven losses came at the hands of top-10 teams.

In a showdown of the top teams in the country, Ward posted a flawless 12-0 record to improve her season record to 81-1 and break Duke's single-season wins record of 72 which she set in 2010. Already the school's career wins leader, Ward led the women's saber squad to victories over No. 2 Penn State, No. 5 St. John's and No. 7 Temple. The Duke women dropped all three of those matches in the final team score, however, and a fourth bout against No. 3 Princeton.

Ward, the 2009 and 2011 NCAA Champion, has led the Duke women's sabers to a 28-2 record on the year which also breaks the previous school record of 22 that group set last season. Their only losses this year have come against No. 1 Penn State and No. 4 Princeton.

The No. 8 Duke men faced three teams ranked among the top five nationally and lost all three bouts, falling 14-13 to No. 2 Penn State, 19-8 to No. 3 St. John's and 21-6 to No. 4 Princeton. The Duke sabers, led by junior Anthony Lin's 6-3 record, edged both St. John's and Penn State to take the saber points, but Duke could not make up lost ground in the other two weapons.

Duke's epees also pulled off an upset by rolling past Penn State 7-2. Sophomore Dylan Nollner, who last weekend won the silver medal at the Junior Olympics and earned a spot on the US Junior World Team, won all three bouts against the Nittany Lions while senior teammates Tristan Jones and Jonathan Parker both went 2-1 in that bout. The sabers went 5-4 to win their weapon, but the Nittany Lions covered just enough ground with an 8-1 win in foil to clinch the 14-13 win.

Up next for the Blue Devils is the Atlantic/South Regionals on Saturday, March 10. That event serves as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships which will be held at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, on March 22-25.

Duke Fencing Results
Temple Invitational
Philadelphia, Pa. (McGonigle Hall)
February 25, 2012

Men's Team Results

Princeton 21, Duke 6
Foil: Princeton V, 6-3
Epee: Princeton V, 7-2
Saber: Princeton V, 8-1

St. John's 19, Duke 8
Foil: St. John's V, 8-1
Epee: St. John's V, 7-2
Saber: Duke V, 5-4

Penn State 14, Duke 13
Foil: Penn State V, 8-1
Epee: Duke V, 7-2
Saber: Duke V, 5-4

Individual Men's Results

Men's Foil (1-2)
Chris Sullivan (0-9)
Samuel Schack (0-9)
Rod Shayesteh (5-4)

Men's Epee (0-3)
Jonathan Parker (3-6)
Tristan Jones (3-6)
Dylan Nollner (5-4)

Men's Saber (2-1)
Eugene Chung (4-5)
Anthony Lin (6-3)
Timothy Evans (0-6)
Colin Colter (1-2)

Women's Team Results

Princeton 16, Duke 11
Foil: Princeton V, 8-1
Epee: Duke V, 6-3
Saber: Princeton V, 5-4

St. John's 14, Duke 13
Foil: St. John's V, 7-2
Epee: St. John's V, 6-3
Saber: Duke V, 8-1

Penn State 17, Duke 10
Foil: Penn State V, 6-3
Epee: Penn State V, 7-2
Saber: Duke V, 5-4

Temple 15, Duke 12
Foil: Temple V, 7-2
Epee: Duke V, 5-4
Saber: Duke V, 5-5

Individual Women's Results

Women's Foil (0-4)
Lily Shepard (3-9)
Dana Rosen (3-7)
Jessica Kang (0-5)
Elizabeth Malcolm (2-7)

Women's Epee (2-2)
Emily D'Agostino (9-3)
Lauren DeLucia (1-4)
Sarah Collins (6-6)
Mary Tung (1-6)

Women's Saber (3-1)
Becca Ward (12-0)
Sean Cadley (7-5)
Kodia Baye-Cigna (3-9)