Fencing Thrusts Forward

Webb, an epee fencer, and Treiber, a sabre fencer, have their priorities in order this weekend as perennial Midwest power Ohio State joins host Northwestern in a 14-team fencing meet that begins at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Along with UNC, the remaining men's and women's squads competing including Michigan, Michigan State, Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-Long Beach, Johns Hopkins, James Madison, Temple and Fairleigh Dickinson (N.J.).

The men's team enters the tournament 6-4 on the season, while the women are 0-4.

Treiber said she looks to see continued success for the UNC women's sabre division in its second year of competition. It fielded epee and foil squads and branched out to women's sabre in 2000.

To keep it up, she and her teammates will have to defeat Northwestern.

"For being our first year last year, we did really well," Treiber said. "Northwestern was also strong last year and was in the top five in the NCAAs, so we have to go against them again."

Webb's back for redemption.

Posting a few impressive wins in the men's epee division, he faced Alan Jones of Ohio State. After a tough match in regulation, both fencers went into overtime tied 4-4.

Once the extra period began, Webb eventually lost to the more experienced Jones. The Buckeyes had his number again later in the day as he lost to another OSU fencer in overtime.

Needless to say, Webb was a bit anxious to board the bus to Evanston, Ill., on Thursday afternoon.

"He'll be back," Webb said of Jones. "The whole Ohio State team will be back. And that's the real team I want."

Tar Heel coach Ron Miller would prefer to see all of the teams back.

Gaining experience against the best fencing teams in the country will prove vital heading into the middle of UNC's schedule because Duke is the only other team in the ACC that fields a squad.

A large fencing meet should help UNC's confidence later in the season against the squads of the Mid-Atlantic Region.

"Most of the field is less experienced and doesn't fence as strong of a schedule," Miller said. "So it's a good place for us to get some good average meets at all ranges of our experience so that our team will get a chance to compete."

All average except for Ohio State and Northwestern.

"Ohio State, in terms of men and women combined, are the toughest team in the meet," Miller said. "Northwestern will also be an excellent challenge."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.