BRIEF: Fencing Earns 10 Top-10 Finishes at NCAA Regionals

Led by senior Aliya Itzkowitz’s gold medal in women’s saber, the men’s and women’s fencing squads competed their way to 10 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Northeast Regionals in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. over the weekend.

Women’s Fencing

Headlined by senior Aliya Itzkowitz and junior co-captain Adrienne Jarocki, the women’s team claimed six top-10 finishes at the Northeast Regionals.

Itzkowitz and Jarocki’s one-two finish in the saber division was reminiscent of the pair’s gold and silver sweep at the NCAA Individual Championships two years ago, but at this event, it was the Great Britain native who took the top spot. Both fencers secured their respective spots in the national championships, which will be held starting March 24 at Brandeis.

The gold medal was Itzkowitz’s first in four tries at the NCAA Northeast Regionals.

In the epee division, it was the first-year fencers who shined brightest for the Crimson. Sharon Ra’s 7-4 final round effort was enough to secure her a bronze medal spot and NCAA national qualifying spot in her first NCAA individual event, while Shawn Wallace notched at 6-5 record to finish eighth.

Three Harvard foil fencers earned first and second round pool play byes thanks to their pre-tournament rankings. After entering the event as the 23rd-ranked foil fencer competing, junior Hali Nelson fenced to a 5-6 record in the final round to finish eighth, while freshman Liana Henderson-Semel was right behind her teammate in ninth.

Men’s Fencing

The No. 6-ranked Crimson men’s squad came into the Northeast Regionals with eight fencers competing and came away with four top-10 finishes.

Leading the way was co-captain and foil fencer Michael Woo, who just missed the podium and finished fifth after a 6-5 record combined with a plus-10 touch differential. Classmate Jerry Chang also had six wins in the final round of pool play and finished in seventh, while junior Stephen Mageras was eighth.

Ranked 19th heading into the event, sophomore saber fencer Eric Zhao competed his way into the third and final round of pool play, and his 5-6 record was enough for an eighth-place finish. Senior Alexander Ryjik was not far behind in 11th.

–Staff writer Caleb Lee can be reached at caleb.lee@thecrimson.com.