NEW YORK, N.Y. (November 18, 2023) – First-year epeeists Grace Hicks and Zoya Duarte-Garcia each won three times to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology women’s fencing team Saturday at the Columbia Invitational, hosted by the Lions at the Dodge Fitness Center.

Senior Alana Schmitt (sabre) and junior Arianna Daringa (sabre) each won twice for the Ducks, who fell to No. 3 Columbia 22-5 and No. 2 Johns Hopkins 18-9. The pair of setbacks left the Ducks with an 11-9 record through the first half of the schedule. Columbia held the third spot in the United States Fencing Coaches Association Preseason Poll, while Johns Hopkins was ranked second in the Division III-specific poll.

The Rundown

• Perennial national power Columbia opened strong, posting decisive wins at foil and sabre. Daringa and junior Alyssa Ip accounted for the Ducks’ victories across the two weapons. The epee team was able to compile three wins against the Lions, with Hicks winning twice and Duarte-Garcia once.
• Against Johns Hopkins, the Ducks fell by a narrow 5-4 margin at epee, with Duarte-Garcia winning twice and Hicks and graduate student Claire McNeill each winning once. The Ducks’ solid play against Johns Hopkins continued at sabre, with Schmitt earning a pair of wins and Daringa winning once. Junior Sofia Savchuk earned a win at foil to account for the Ducks’ victories on the day.

Top Performers

• Within the weapon groups, the epee group posted the best mark on the day with a 7-11 (.389 winning percentage), while the sabre squad finished 5-13 (.278). 

Coach’s Comments

• “It was a tough day for us competing against two of the best teams in the country. We fought hard and did pick up some good wins.” – assistant coach Linda Vollkommer-Lynch

Up Next

• Stevens officially returns to the strips in 2024, heading to Cambridge, Massachusetts for the annual Eric Sollee Invitational, hosted by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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