North Carolina's fencers entered the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regionals in Bethlehem, Pa., hoping to claim individual spots for the NCAA Championships.
Four Tar Heels have a greater chance of seeing those hopes come true after Saturday's competition, finishing in the top 12 of their respective events to qualify for the final round.
Junior Amanda Lalezarian posted the best outing for UNC. Coming into the competition as the No. 14 seed in the women's foil, she finished at 13-8 on the day to finish fifth overall in the field.
“I think the reason I did so well I because I was just so focused on every touch throughout the day," she said. "I wasn’t thinking about past bouts or future bouts. I was just really present and in the moment.”
Sophomore Meredith Bozentka was not far behind her teammate, finishing sixth overall in the women's sabre — which will likely qualify her for the NCAA Championships.