Fencers Duel at Harvard Invitational

After a shaky start to the season, there was only one way for the Harvard women’s and men’s fencing teams to go at the Harvard Invitational yesterday, and that way was up.

The Crimson made an impressive showing on the day, as seven nationally-contending teams met in the Gordon Track and Tennis Center, including defending national champion Penn State and Ivy League rival Princeton.

At the end of the tournament, head coach Peter Brand said that both of his teams are right where they should be.

After shaking off their rust last weekend at the Garret Penn State Open, the Harvard fencers seemed to be more comfortable in their shoes, as the women went undefeated and the men followed close behind, only losing close contests to Penn State and Princeton by three bouts each.

“Overall, we made progress over the last year, despite losing a few key players,” Brand said. “The men’s sabre is exceptionally strong this year. We have two terrific freshmen, Thomas Kolasa and Michael Tom, who were great additions.”

Leading the sabre for the second week in a row was sophomore Valentin Staller, who spurred his sabre team to wins over Sacred Heart, 7-2, Penn State, 5-4, Princeton, 5-4, and Vassar, 8-1, with its best win blanking North Carolina, 9-0.

Co-captain épée Karl Harmenberg and sophomore épée James Hawrot lost to Princeton freshman Edward Kelley in extremely close 5-4 bouts, allowing the Tigers to barely surpass the Crimson by three points.

The épée team beat Sacred Heart, Penn State, and Vassar, 7-2, but was unable to push the win over Princeton and North Carolina, losing both matches, 5-4.

The men’s foil struggled throughout the day, posting wins only over Princeton, 6-3, and Vassar, 5-4. No men’s foil fencer was able to win a bout against Penn State, and Harvard fell to Sacred Heart, 7-2, and North Carolina, 5-4, in the weapon.

But the women enjoyed success all around.

Sophomore co-captains Noam Mills and Caroline Vloka led the women’s team for the second week in a row, helping the Crimson defeat all six of its opponents, including Penn State. Harvard just squeaked by the defending national champions by one bout.

The Crimson dominated throughout the tournament, outscoring its opponents 119-43, while Mills and Vloka each went undefeated in their respective weapons.

“Noam Mills and Caroline Vloka fenced extremely well,” Brand said of his co-captains. “It was a significant win for Caroline Vloka over Penn State’s Monica Aksamit.”

Aksamit finished fifth in the country in the sabre last year and helped her team to a national championship—something Vloka wants to bring back to Harvard.

“We aren’t necessarily rivals,” Vloka said, “but we are from the same club. I was really happy that I got that bout. There wasn’t an animosity [between us] per say, but definitely a little tension.”

Joining Vloka in the sabre was freshman Elena Helgiu, who helped the sabre team sweep Sacred Heart and Vassar, 9-0, and best North Carolina, 7-2. The rookie has proven to be the answer to the Crimson’s sabre woes of last year. Sophomore Hayley Levitt also stepped up to help the sabre team surpass Penn State, 5-4. The squad’s only loss in the weapon was to Princeton, 5-4.

“Elena Helgiu is making a big difference for us and is fencing exceptionally well,” Brand said. “Better than I’ve anticipated.”

With Mills going undefeated on the day, the épée team seemed to be the Crimson’s strongest weapon, defeating all six schools present—most notably Princeton, North Carolina, and Sacred Heart by counts of 8-1.

Even with the loss of Olympian Emily Cross ’08-’09, the women’s foil made a strong showing at the invitational, posting wins over Sacred Heart, 5-4, North Carolina, 7-2, and Vassar, 8-1.

—Staff writer Melissa L. Schellberg can be reached at mlschell@fas.harvard.edu.