Buckeyes Open Regular Season in Strong Form

Ohio State women finish 10-1, men 9-2

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State fencing squads posted impressive results at the St. John’s Invitational Saturday and the following day at the New York University Invitational. The sixth-ranked Buckeye women finished the weekend a combined 10-1 while the fifth-ranked men notched a 9-2 record.

 

The Scarlet and Gray claimed team championships at the St. John’s event after the women turned in a flawless, 5-0 performance and the men dropped just one dual to finish 4-1. Both squads opened the event with 15-12 upsets of reigning NCAA champion Notre Dame. The women would go on to claim another three victories against ranked opponents in No. 5 St. John’s, No. 7 Harvard and No. 1 Penn State.

 

The men experienced their only hiccup of the day following the Notre Dame dual, dropping a 16-11 decision to No. 6 St. John’s. The Buckeyes bounced back to down Columbia, No. 3 Harvard and No. 1 Penn State by a combined 50-31 score.

 

Freshman foilist Mona Shaito led the Buckeye women with a 15-0 record while her brother, sophomore foilist Zain Shaito, collected 13 victories to set the pace for the men. Other 10-plus winners included Katarzyna Dabrowa (12), Caroline Piasecka (11), Alison Miller (11) and Igor Tolkachev (10).

 

The team followed its performance at the St. John’s Invitational with a combined 10-2 showing at the NYU Invitational Sunday. The men’s lone loss came against Columbia, while the Buckeyes picked up victories against No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 St. John’s and No. 10 Yale. Notre Dame’s third-ranked women edged out the Buckeyes in a 14-13 decision, but Ohio State picked up wins against No. 5 St. John’s and No. 4 Northwestern.

 

The Buckeyes return to action Feb. 4 at the Northwestern Duals in Evanston, Ill.

 

St. John’s Invitational

Men’s

Round 1: No. 5 Ohio State def. No. 4 Notre Dame, 15-12 (6-3 S; 5-4 F; 4-5 E)

Round 2: No. 6 St. John’s def. No. 5 Ohio State, 16-11 (6-3 S; 5-4 F; 5-4 E)

Round 3: No. 5 Ohio State def. Columbia, 17-10 (4-5 S; 7-2 F; 6-3 E)

Round 4: No. 5 Ohio State def. No. 3 Harvard, 15-12 (4-5 S; 7-2 F; 4-5 E)

Round 5: No. 5 Ohio State def. No. 1 Penn State, 18-9 (4-5 S; 5-4 F; 9-0 E)

 

Women’s

Round 1: No. 6 Ohio State def. No. 3 Notre Dame, 15-12 (4-5 S; 6-3 F; 5-4 E)

Round 2: No. 6 Ohio State def. No. 5 St. John’s, 16-11 (6-3 S; 4-5 F; 6-3 E)

Round 3: No. 6 Ohio State def. Columbia, 14-13 (5-4 S; 6-3 F; 3-6 E)

Round 4: No. 6 Ohio State def. No. 7 Harvard, 21-6 (8-1 S; 7-2 F; 6-3 E)

Round 5: No. 6 Ohio State def. No. 1 Penn State, 15-12 (5-4 S; 5-4 F; 5-4 E)

 

 

NYU Invitational Scores

Men’s

No. 5 Ohio State def. NYU, 20-7

No. 5 Ohio State def. No. 6 St. John’s, 17-10

No. 5 Ohio State def. No. 10 Yale, 20-7

No. 5 Ohio State def. No. 4 Notre Dame, 20-7

No. 5 Ohio State def. North Carolina, 21-6

Columbia def. No. 5 Ohio State, 16-11

 

Women’s

No. 6 Ohio State def. NYU, 22-5

No. 6 Ohio State def. No. 5 St. John’s, 17-10

No. 6 Ohio State def. Yale, 20-7

No. 3 Notre Dame def. No. 6 Ohio State, 14-13

No. 6 Ohio State def. No. 4 Northwestern, 18-9

No. 6 Ohio State def. Columbia, 14-13