Fencers fall in invitational

DURHAM — The North Carolina men’s fencing team won two of five dual meets, while the women went 1-3 after the Tar Heels faced tough competition at the Duke Invitational this weekend.

Defending national champion Ohio State and perennial powerhouse Notre Dame joined Johns Hopkins and Air Force to round out the field in the regular season-ending event.

There was plenty of drama Friday as the men fenced to a 2-3 record in the tournament. A thrilling win against Air Force came down to the last bout with the match tied at 13 apiece.

North Carolina epee fencer Benton Heimsath found himself in an early 4 to 2 hole in his match, but scored the final three touches to pull out the bout 5-4 and secure a 14-13 win for the Tar Heels.

The Tar Heel men lost to rival Duke in a heartbreaking match in which they came up one bout short, leaving Duke with a 14-13 win.

A 18-9 defeat at the hands of Ohio State showed the toughness and physicality of the North Carolina fencers as they took six of the nine saber bouts, a demanding weapon that calls for shorter but more intense battles between fencers.

The women fenced to an exciting 15-12 win against Johns Hopkins on Saturday.

UNC completed a satisfying season sweep of the Blue Jays, having already handed them a defeat on Jan. 29.

Despite the stiff competition, both the North Carolina men and women had a good showing against two legitimate national contenders.

As head coach Ron Miller said before the match, “We’re certainly not going to roll over for them.”

For a number of seniors, the Duke Invitational meant the end of their collegiate fencing careers. Assistant coach Josh Webb said the last match of the season has special meaning for the team since it’s a chance to celebrate what the seniors have accomplished.

It also marks a shift in Miller’s attention as he focuses now on preparing his fencers for the postseason. Miller would like to qualify as many as 15 men and women for the upcoming regional tournament in which selection is based on composite player ratings.

Last season’s team saw seven of the nine starting women’s fencers graduate, so this year’s cast of regional qualifiers may include several more men than in the past.

Practices will change somewhat to include more time spent on individual’s fencing strategy to better prepare those who qualify for postseason play.

The postseason begins when the Tar Heels travel to Madison, N.J., on March 5 for the Mid-Atlantic South Regionals.

 

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.