Fencing News
Last week, the ICJA fencing team faced off against New Trier for the second time this season. The Aces have been training hard bringing up their competitive level, and it showed at the rematch.
The Women’s Epee squad posted the team’s first victory against a New Trier Squad, tying the Trevians 8 – 8, but winning on touches scored, 60 – 56. Junior Julia Polster was the team stand out going undefeated (4-0) against a dominant team. Polster showed incredible mental toughness, pulling off three 5-4 victories, and shutting out the fourth bout 5-0. Tamar Dallal and Tziona Chernoff both contributed two victories to the squad total.
Team captain Ezra Schur was the second Ace to go undefeated in the Men’s Epee match up. He finished 3-0, including two 5-4 victories. The Men’s epee squad lost the encounter 3-6, but along with Yona Gutstein and Nathan Fensterheim surpassed their previous encounter.
The Women’s Foil squad struggled against the Trevians, with Team Captain Dena Lebowitz bringing the only victories in a 2-7 defeat. Sophomore Rebecca Quintas had her strongest tournament yet.
Team manager Jacob Felix posted the only Men’s Foil victory in their 1-8 loss.
Saber Squad Report from alumna and assistant coach Sarah Quintas (’16):
Michael Julio Price, captain of the male sabre squad and the team’s most experienced fencer, secured a solid 5-3 victory during his first bout. This moment was a turning point for men’s sabre, which had been completely shut out in a 9-0 loss last time they fenced against New Trier. Perhaps even more impressively, Michael managed to keep both of his shoes on this time for the duration of his bouts. Point-wise, Ori Bauman did not have his best night. He did, however, put up a fight and managed to score a point against one of his opponents in what surely classifies as the most satisfying parry riposte in the history of the cosmos. And what he lacked in victory, Ori made up for in spirit, staying behind to cheer on his female teammates after completing his bouts, his smile never once faltering from his face. In truth, though, Aryeh Richter was the real star of the night. Not only did he improve spectacularly, but he also managed to score three touches on one of New Trier’s most talented fencers.
Roni Bell led off women’s sabre with a spectacular 5-1 victory and continued to perform at her usual stellar level for the rest of the tournament, even managing to secure a second victory later in the night. Roni is the most aggressive female saberist on the team, a trait which truly worked to her advantage that night against the notoriously bellicose swordswomen of New Trier. Gail Schneiderman, squad leader, also had an impressive record, securing a 5-3 victory and a narrow 4-5 defeat. Throughout the night, she never scored fewer than two points, which against New Trier is quite a notable feat. Her technique differs greatly from Bell’s. Where Roni is swift and assertive, Gail is careful and calculating, planning each move with the deliberation of a chessmaster. Masha Matten falls somewhere in between Gail and Roni in terms of strategy; she is both unpredictable and quick with her fingers. Matten did not perform as well as usual that night, though she did secure at least one touch in every bout. The squad’s newest fencer, freshman Abigail Koifman, improved noticeably over the course of the night. She began with a rough start, but switched up her strategy in her last bout, showing much more initiative and securing two solid touches on her opponent.