COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 9 Northwestern won its fifth ever Midwest Fencing Conference Championship on Sunday after taking home weapon group titles in sabre and foil over No. 4 Ohio State.
The Wildcats captured their first overall title since 2016, and their fifth in the 23-year history of the competition. The sabre squad won its fifth title in program history and first since 2016 while the foil squad also took home its fifth title, but its first since 2012.
The epee squad took home second place after falling to the Buckeyes in their final.
The Wildcats also had a plethora of impressive finishes in the individual competitions on Saturday, highlighted by first years Alexis Browne and Sarah Filby collecting silver medals in sabre and foil, respectively.
Katie Van Riper and Marta Amador Molina also finished with a bronze in epee, as did sophomore Abby Tartell in sabre and first year Justine Banbury in foil.
The sabre squad blazed through the bracket in the first weapon group competition on Sunday, defeating Iowa in the Round of 16, Indiana in the quarterfinals, and Michigan in the semifinals, all by a score of 5-0.
In first of three top-billed gold medal clashes against Ohio State, the sabre squad set the tone. The Wildcats and Buckeyes traded bouts early with wins from Browne and Maddy Curzon, leaving the match tied at 2-2. Emine Yücel and Tartell gave the 'Cats a 4-2 lead before the hosts cut the deficit to one at 4-3. The first year Browne closed out the next bout in a dominant fashion, and sealed a 5-3 win.
The foil squad had a bye into the quarterfinals, and won its first two knockout rounds against Wisconsin and Wayne State. The 'Cats advanced to the finals to face off against Ohio State for the second time in the day.
Yvonne Chart gave the #B1GCats an early 1-0 lead, but it was erased the next bout as the score moved to 1-1. Filby and Chart won the next two decisions to take a 3-1 lead, but the rival Buckeyes would not quit, storming back to tie the match up once more at 3-3. Filby put the 'Cats on the precipice with a clutch win to make it 4-3, but Chart endured a controversial and difficult contest that allowed Ohio State to level the match for the third time at 4-4. In the deciding bout, first year Banbury came through with a 2-0 victory to take the match, 5-4, in an instant classic.
The epee squad defeated Bowling Green, 5-0, in the round of 16, Denison, 5-1, in the quarterfinal, and Michigan, 5-0 in the semifinal. The 'Cats came up short against Ohio State in the trilogy match, but still came away with a silver medal.
In addition to the six top-three finishes in the individual competitions on Saturday, seven additional Wildcats finished as quarterfinals. Ella Lombard and Anya Harkness finished in the top-eight in epee, while Sharon Chen, Amy Jia, and Chart did so in foil. First year Jacqueline Hua and Yücel rounded out the excelling group in sabre.
Chicago's Big Ten Team continues its postseason on Mar. 10 at the NCAA Regionals hosted by Cleveland State.
RESULTS
Sabre
NU def. Iowa, 5-0
NU def. Indiana, 5-0
NU def. Michigan, 5-0
NU def. No. 4 Ohio State, 5-3
Alexis Browne: 2-1
Maddy Curzon: 4-1
Jacqueline Hua: 3-0
Stefani Kahookele: 1-0
Abby Tartell: 3-0
Emine Yücel: 4-1
Zhesi Zhuang: 1-0
Foil
NU def. Denison, 5-0
NU def. Wayne State, 5-0
NU def. No. 4 Ohio State, 5-4
Justine Banbury: 2-1
Yvonne Chart: 3-1
Sharon Chen: 2-0
Sarah Filby: 2-1
Amy Jia: 2-1
Sofia Simontov: 2-0
Epee
NU def. Bowling Green, 5-0
NU def. Denison, 5-1
NU def. Michigan, 5-0
No. 4 Ohio State def. NU, 5-0
Marta Amador Molina: 2-1
Adelle Berdichevksy: 2-0
Pauline Hamilton: 2-1
Anya Harkness: 1-0
Ella Lombard: 1-3
Shirley Luong: 2-0
Anna Tolley: 2-0
Katie Van Riper: 3-1
Individual Results
Sabre
2. Alexis Browne, 4-1
T3. Abby Tartell, 3-1
6. Emine Yücel, 2-1
8. Jacqueline Hua, (4-0) 3-1
9. Maddy Curzon, 1-1
12. Sacha Bazzal, 1-1
15. Zhesi Zhuang, (4-0)
17. Stefani Kahookele, (4-0)
19. Isabella Min (4-0), 1-1
Foil
2. Sarah Filby, 4-1
T3. Justine Banbury, 3-1
6. Yvonne Chart, 2-1
7. Sharon Chen, 2-1
8. Amy Jia, 2-1
11. Sofia Simontov, (5-0) 1-1
12. Lucia Procopio, (5-0), 2-1
17. Alexandra Banin, 0-1
19. Sydney Larrier, (5-0), 1-1
20. Michelle Lee, (4-0) 1-1
Epee
T3: Katie Van Riper, 3-1
T3: Marta Amador Molina, 3-1
5. Anya Harkness, 2-1
6. Ella Lombard, 2-1
9. Pauline Hamilton, 1-1
11. Adelle Berdichevsky, 1-1
14. Shirley Luong, 4-1, 2-1
18. Anna Tolley, (5-0), 1-1
The Wildcats captured their first overall title since 2016, and their fifth in the 23-year history of the competition. The sabre squad won its fifth title in program history and first since 2016 while the foil squad also took home its fifth title, but its first since 2012.
The epee squad took home second place after falling to the Buckeyes in their final.
The Wildcats also had a plethora of impressive finishes in the individual competitions on Saturday, highlighted by first years Alexis Browne and Sarah Filby collecting silver medals in sabre and foil, respectively.
Katie Van Riper and Marta Amador Molina also finished with a bronze in epee, as did sophomore Abby Tartell in sabre and first year Justine Banbury in foil.
The sabre squad blazed through the bracket in the first weapon group competition on Sunday, defeating Iowa in the Round of 16, Indiana in the quarterfinals, and Michigan in the semifinals, all by a score of 5-0.
In first of three top-billed gold medal clashes against Ohio State, the sabre squad set the tone. The Wildcats and Buckeyes traded bouts early with wins from Browne and Maddy Curzon, leaving the match tied at 2-2. Emine Yücel and Tartell gave the 'Cats a 4-2 lead before the hosts cut the deficit to one at 4-3. The first year Browne closed out the next bout in a dominant fashion, and sealed a 5-3 win.
The foil squad had a bye into the quarterfinals, and won its first two knockout rounds against Wisconsin and Wayne State. The 'Cats advanced to the finals to face off against Ohio State for the second time in the day.
Yvonne Chart gave the #B1GCats an early 1-0 lead, but it was erased the next bout as the score moved to 1-1. Filby and Chart won the next two decisions to take a 3-1 lead, but the rival Buckeyes would not quit, storming back to tie the match up once more at 3-3. Filby put the 'Cats on the precipice with a clutch win to make it 4-3, but Chart endured a controversial and difficult contest that allowed Ohio State to level the match for the third time at 4-4. In the deciding bout, first year Banbury came through with a 2-0 victory to take the match, 5-4, in an instant classic.
The epee squad defeated Bowling Green, 5-0, in the round of 16, Denison, 5-1, in the quarterfinal, and Michigan, 5-0 in the semifinal. The 'Cats came up short against Ohio State in the trilogy match, but still came away with a silver medal.
In addition to the six top-three finishes in the individual competitions on Saturday, seven additional Wildcats finished as quarterfinals. Ella Lombard and Anya Harkness finished in the top-eight in epee, while Sharon Chen, Amy Jia, and Chart did so in foil. First year Jacqueline Hua and Yücel rounded out the excelling group in sabre.
Chicago's Big Ten Team continues its postseason on Mar. 10 at the NCAA Regionals hosted by Cleveland State.
RESULTS
Sabre
NU def. Iowa, 5-0
NU def. Indiana, 5-0
NU def. Michigan, 5-0
NU def. No. 4 Ohio State, 5-3
Alexis Browne: 2-1
Maddy Curzon: 4-1
Jacqueline Hua: 3-0
Stefani Kahookele: 1-0
Abby Tartell: 3-0
Emine Yücel: 4-1
Zhesi Zhuang: 1-0
Foil
NU def. Denison, 5-0
NU def. Wayne State, 5-0
NU def. No. 4 Ohio State, 5-4
Justine Banbury: 2-1
Yvonne Chart: 3-1
Sharon Chen: 2-0
Sarah Filby: 2-1
Amy Jia: 2-1
Sofia Simontov: 2-0
Epee
NU def. Bowling Green, 5-0
NU def. Denison, 5-1
NU def. Michigan, 5-0
No. 4 Ohio State def. NU, 5-0
Marta Amador Molina: 2-1
Adelle Berdichevksy: 2-0
Pauline Hamilton: 2-1
Anya Harkness: 1-0
Ella Lombard: 1-3
Shirley Luong: 2-0
Anna Tolley: 2-0
Katie Van Riper: 3-1
Individual Results
Sabre
2. Alexis Browne, 4-1
T3. Abby Tartell, 3-1
6. Emine Yücel, 2-1
8. Jacqueline Hua, (4-0) 3-1
9. Maddy Curzon, 1-1
12. Sacha Bazzal, 1-1
15. Zhesi Zhuang, (4-0)
17. Stefani Kahookele, (4-0)
19. Isabella Min (4-0), 1-1
Foil
2. Sarah Filby, 4-1
T3. Justine Banbury, 3-1
6. Yvonne Chart, 2-1
7. Sharon Chen, 2-1
8. Amy Jia, 2-1
11. Sofia Simontov, (5-0) 1-1
12. Lucia Procopio, (5-0), 2-1
17. Alexandra Banin, 0-1
19. Sydney Larrier, (5-0), 1-1
20. Michelle Lee, (4-0) 1-1
Epee
T3: Katie Van Riper, 3-1
T3: Marta Amador Molina, 3-1
5. Anya Harkness, 2-1
6. Ella Lombard, 2-1
9. Pauline Hamilton, 1-1
11. Adelle Berdichevsky, 1-1
14. Shirley Luong, 4-1, 2-1
18. Anna Tolley, (5-0), 1-1