PHILADELPHIA — The Haverford College men's fencing team, ranked eighth in Division III, tested itself against the nation's elite on Saturday at the University of Pennsylvania's Dave Micahnik Penn Invitational. The Fords fenced five rounds against a gauntlet of nationally ranked Division I programs — Penn, Duke, UC San Diego, and Penn State — along with Division III powerhouse NYU, falling just short in a razor-thin 14-13 decision against the division's top-ranked Violets.
No. 7 Penn 17, Haverford 10
Haverford opened the day with a strong showing against the host Quakers, as both the foil and epee squads dropped narrow 5-4 decisions while sabre fell 7-2. Foilist Oliver Po led the way early, posting a perfect 3-0 record, while Henry Bishop added a victory. In epee, Eric Chen earned two wins, with Jack Richards and Ian Alvarez also securing victories against Ivy League opposition. Stephen Yarosh and Andy Loo each contributed wins in sabre.
No. 8 Duke 21, Haverford 6
The Fords again found success in epee against the Blue Devils, falling by a close 5-4 margin. Richards recorded two wins, with Chen and Alvarez also victorious. Foil picked up wins from Andrew Strayer and Dean Myers, while sabre was unable to break through.
No. 15 UC San Diego 19, Haverford 8
Facing the Tritons in the fourth round, Haverford continued to push its Division I opponents, with both foil and epee falling by narrow margins. Po notched two wins in foil, supported by victories from Strayer and Michael Pyo. Richards stayed hot in epee with two more wins, while Chen and Alvarez also earned points for the Fords.
No. 13 NYU 14, Haverford 13
Against Division III's top-ranked team, Haverford delivered its most complete performance of the day, narrowly missing an upset. The Fords claimed squad victories in foil (6-3) and epee (5-4), while sabre fell 7-2. Pyo went a perfect 3-0 in foil, with Myers adding two wins and Henry Fedonchik one. Richards and Alvarez each posted two wins in epee, joined by a victory from Kenji Gullo. Ryotaro Sakazaki and Andy Loo recorded wins in sabre.
No. 9 Penn State 18, Haverford 9
In the finale against the Nittany Lions, Haverford again battled tightly in foil and epee, falling 5-4 in both squads, while sabre dropped an 8-1 decision. Po and Pyo paced foil with two wins apiece, while Richards and Alvarez each added two victories in epee. Yarosh earned the lone sabre win.
Haverford now faces a quick turnaround, heading to Baltimore on Sunday, January 18, for the Johns Hopkins Invitational. The Fords will square off against the host Blue Jays, No. 14 North Carolina, and Drew.
