HAVERFORD, Pa. - The Haverford College men's and women's fencing programs feted their seniors on Saturday afternoon inside Gooding '84 Arena for exhibition-style bouts against Drew University.
Prior to the highly anticipated matchups against a familiar foe, the Fords honored Paige Copenhaver, Nina Chafee, Nina Hamilton, Emely Polanco, Carter Wood, Henry Fedonchik, Michael Pyo, Andrew Strayer, and Raphael Yamamoto for their contributions to the fencing program and athletic department at Haverford.
Women's: Drew 16, Haverford 11
The Rangers, ranked eighth in the midseason Division III poll, claimed wins in sabre (6-3) and foil (8-1), while the Fords controlled epee with a 7-2 victory.
In sabre, Eleni Antoniades recorded multiple wins for Haverford, logging a 3-0 record. Foil proved decisive for the visitors, as Drew dominated the weapon with Sophie Stamicar earning Haverford's lone win.
Haverford responded strongly in epee, posting a convincing 7-2 result behind multiple victories from Nina Hamilton and Nina Chafee, while Payton Wagner added two key bout triumphs to deliver a major high note for Haverford despite the team loss.
Men's: Haverford 15, Drew 12
Haverford men's fencing, the eighth-ranked team in the USFCA Division III poll, edged seventh-ranked Drew in the tightly contested home dual, earning a 15-12 overall victory highlighted by strong performances across all three weapons. The Fords secured key wins in both foil and epee, overcoming a narrow setback in sabre but doing more than enough to finish the afternoon on top.
In foil, Haverford delivered a decisive 6-3 win behind consistent efforts from Michael Pyo, Andrew Strayer, and Henry Fedonchik. Pyo set the tone early and added another crucial victory later in the rotation, while Strayer picked up multiple wins to keep momentum firmly with the Fords. Fedonchik also contributed a pivotal bout win as Haverford steadily built its advantage.
Epee proved just as competitive, but Haverford again found a way, claiming a 5-4 victory. Kenji Gullo and Jackson Richards each earned important triumphs, while Ezra Weintroub closed out the weapon with a clutch performance to seal the result. In sabre, Haverford battled throughout but ultimately fell 5-4 in a back-and-forth matchup that came down to the final bouts. Stephen Yarosh went 3-0 while Osaretin Idahor picked up a win.
The Fords will now return to action next weekend, with the men's team heading to the MACFA "C" Round Robin at the Naval Academy (10 a.m., February 14) while the women begin the postseason slate with the EWFC Championships at Vassar (10 a.m., February 15).
