Sept. 24, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State fencers opened up the 2017-18 season with the Nittany Lion Cup Open this past weekend. The team had success in Saturday's mixed tournaments by winning every event and on Sunday as the women placed in at least second in every event.
On Saturday, the Nittany Lions showed their dominance in the sabre with ten fencers in the top ten. Of those ten, junior Karol Metryka (Linden, N.J.) and freshman Zara Moss (Cranberry Township, Pa.) finished first and second, respectively, with senior Andrew Mackiewicz (Westwood, Mass.) and junior Gavin Turner (Rehoboth, Mass.) tying for third.
As for mixed-foil and mixed-epee, sophomore Mohamed Hassan (Saint Louis, Mo.) took first in the foil and junior Anton Piskovatskov (Houston, Texas) won the epee.
On Sunday, the women's fencing team displayed dominance in the epee as it claimed the top six spots in the tournament. Of those six, junior Anastasia Kalonji (Rennes, France) and sophomore Barbara Vanbenthuysen (Spring, Texas) finished first and second, respectively, with junior Alissa Hofmann (Cambridge, Mass.) and sophomore Isabelle Woika (State College, Pa.) tying for third.
The women's sabre team also claimed the top six spots in the tournament. Freshman Zara Moss finished the night by taking first place with senior Karen Chang (Hong Kong, China) right behind her placing in second. Tying in third were Nittany Lions senior Kathryn Charpin (Setauket, N.Y.) and junior DeAna Oliver (Montclair, N.J.).
In women's foil, freshman Sophia McGoff (Gurabo, Puetro Rico) placed second and freshman Isabella Zuzulo (Newtown, Pa.) and Jade Rowland (Princeton Junction, N.J.) tied for third.
Penn State's fencing team will next be in action on Oct. 28-29 when they travel to Philadelphia, Pa., for the Temple Open.
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