Crimson Garners Mixed Results in Postseason Play

The Harvard men’s and women’s fencing teams began postseason play yesterday in a two-weekend tournament at Levien Gymnasium in New York City, where the No. 5 women (15-1) went undefeated on the day.

The No. 7 men (8-8), on the other hand, were unable to carry the momentum from last week into the matches, falling to No. 5 Princeton 17-10, Yale 15-12, and No. 4 Columbia 16-11.

“It was a real team effort,” co-captain Emily Cross said. “Everyone contributed in a really great way and we were all really at the top of our games, especially facing Columbia. It feels really great.”

The women’s team prevailed in all four of its matches, beating Princeton 14-13, Cornell 21-6, Yale 18-9, and Columbia 15-12, as it began to pave its way to another Ivy League title.

“When we needed people to pull through they pulled through,” Cross said. “Everyone performed as much as they needed to.”

Led by freshman sabre Caroline Vloka, who went 12-0 on the day, Harvard edged out the Tigers first, who had beaten the Crimson at an earlier meeting in the season.

With easy wins over Cornell and Yale, the women’s team was unstoppable, culminating with a victory over undefeated rival Columbia.

“Columbia was certainly our biggest win today,” Harvard coach Peter Brand said. “It was the match of the undefeated in the Ivy League. [The win] puts us over the top right now.”

Other standout performances for the Crimson included Cross and freshman épée Noam Mills, who each only lost one bout.

Cross, along with foil teammate junior Anna Podolsky, led the foil for Harvard.

“Our primary objective, especially against Columbia, was to win big time in the foil squad,” Brand said. “They sure turned up big time for us.”

The sabre continued to be the Achilles’ heel for the women’s team, pushing the épée and foil to make up the difference. Still, Brand acknowledged the effort of all three sabre fencers, noting sophomore Yunsoo Kim’s two victories and close matches throughout the day, despite her inexperience.

“It’s a great credit to her,” Brand said. “She’s never really fenced before she got to Harvard.”

Brand hopes to practice with the sabre team this week in preparation for the second part of the tournament.

Still, the Crimson eyes Feb. 22’s continuation of the tournament in a comfortable position.

With a win against Brown, they are guaranteed a share of the Ivy League title.

With another win against Penn, Harvard will win the tournament and be Ivy League Champions.

Freshman sabre Valentin Staller and co-captain épée Benji Unger led the Crimson on the day for the men’s team, both posting a 3-0 record against the Tigers. Staller also won two of his three bouts against the Bulldogs.

But it was not enough for the team to notch the win.

The closest match of the day for the men was against Yale, where co-captain Kai Itameri-Kinter and junior Karl Harmenberg won two of their three bouts.

The Harvard women’s team will travel to Providence, R.I. in pursuit of its third Ivy League championship, while the men’s team will look to improve its postseason record against Brown and Penn.

—Staff writer Melissa Schellberg can be reached at mlschell@fas.harvard.edu.