First, the Tar Heels faced Sacred Heart. Both men’s and women’s teams won handily in saber, foil and epee. In all of the three categories, opponents never earned more than eight points.
In the next match of the day against NYU, the competition for the women’s team was similar to the first duel, as they dominated in a 21-6 rout.
The competition for the men was tougher, but they managed to edge out a 14-13 win. This is the second year in a row that the Tar Heels have beaten the Bobcats.
In the third round, North Carolina played Haverford, one of the best Division 3 schools in the country, and once again impressed, with the women’s team delivering a 22-5 victory and the men following up with an 18-9 win.
The Tar Heels completed their impressive day by blowing out Brown in the last round, with both men and women winning by a 21-6 margin.
When was it decided?
The tournament was decided pretty early.
North Carolina was clearly the most talented squad, and they showcased why both the men and women are ranked inside the top 16 nationally. Aside from the men’s NYU match, no round was determined by less than nine points.
Why does it matter?
The tournament served as valuable rest for the starters, and precious experience for reserves who don’t often get in the spotlight.
Collectively, the women’s team stood out, managing an undefeated record on the day with the closest score being 5-4.
Thanks to the strong team effort, it's difficult to highlight one player who stood out. Miller mentioned how the level of competition allowed for reserves to gain some valuable experience.
The lopsided defeats were a testament to the depth of both Tar Heel teams, and serve as an encouraging sign for tougher matchups down the road. Though they only got to play four other teams, and competition was scarce, the event was another indicator of the team's abilities moving forward.
When do they play next?
The Tar Heels will be back in action Feb. 3 in Chicago at the Northwestern Duels.
@andrewmontross
sports@dailytarheel.com
