Staller, Vloka Lead Harvard Fencing to Big Wins

Updated 12/6/10 2:56 p.m.:

Competition can’t get much more intense when you’re facing teams that tout NCAA championship titles.

But that was the challenge faced by the Harvard fencing team this weekend as it took on five squads at the Sacred Heart Invitational in Fairfield, Conn.

The 5-0 victories claimed by the men and women, then, made the challenge look like a breeze.

“It was a really promising start to the season,” co-captain Hao Meng said. “Our coach was really pleased with the results.”

The Crimson squad was the only crew of seven to go undefeated by the end of the dual meets. En route to the victory, the team defeated Sacred Heart, Penn State, North Carolina, NYU, and Vassar—many of which boast top-notch fencers.

Princeton also fenced at the invitational, but Harvard coach Peter Brand made the decision to wait for the Ivy League Championships to face the Ivy foe, according to junior co-captain Valentin Staller.

On the men’s side, the high of the day was no doubt beating the defending NCAA champion Nittany Lions, 14-13.

“We beat them by a very close margin,” Meng explained.

“It was the first time we’ve beaten them in four years,” Staller said. “It was a phenomenal effort from everyone today.”

Part of the phenomenal effort was from none other than Staller himself. Going undefeated on the day, Staller won the final bout to claim the victory for the Crimson in the sabre.

“He was unbelievable,” Meng said. “A lot of fencers were bigger or taller, but he destroyed them. He was on fire all day, and he set an example for the rest of the team with his energy and determination.”

Indeed, Staller’s teammates definitely followed their co-captain’s lead—even without freshman Mike Raynis, an epée fencer currently competing at the Junior World Cup in Finland, the squad dominated its competitors.

Solid performances came in from junior epée James Hawrot, who went 12-3 on the day, and also from freshman foil Lucas Lin and fellow rookie Erik Arzoian in sabre.

The men’s crew also notched another impressive victory by downing the Brewers, 25-2.

“We all fenced well,” Staller said. “We had a strong team, so we were excited to show that.”

The women also showed their depth and strength in the day’s events.

“The girls beat [the Tar Heels], 27-0,” Meng said. “I don’t think that’s ever happened in the past 11 years since our coach started, or maybe in the history of Harvard fencing.”

Contributing to the sweep was an impressive contingent of fencers.

“On the women’s team, [junior co-captain and] defending NCAA sabre champion Caroline Vloka, [junior sabre and co-captain] Hayley Levitt, [freshman foil] Alexandra Kiefer, and [sophomore foil] Kathy Chou all only lost one bout,” Staller noted.

Meng in particular noted Kiefer’s impressive outing.

“She’s shown drastic improvement since she got here,” Meng said. “[Kiefer] definitely stepped it up today.”

The ladies also mirrored the men’s dominance with a similar score in their victory over Vassar—they lost only one more bout than their male counterparts to fell the Brewers, 24-3.

Against Penn State, the score was tighter, but the women still snagged the win, 16-11.

“They’re usually really good,” sophomore sabre Elena Helgiu said. “But right now...a lot of people aren’t there.”

In fact, both squads had their share of absentees, including teammates at other fencing competitions, like Raynis, and a Nittany Lion with a knee injury and another who is abroad, according to Helgiu.

Regardless, the day’s outcome proved quite promising as Harvard looks ahead to the Ivy League Championships in February and the NCAA regionals in early March.

“Our first goal, at the very beginning, was to win the Ivies,” Meng said.

With depth in each weapon group and a strong start to the season, capturing the Ancient Eight crown is a definite possibility.

“Our squad has no holes anywhere,” Meng concluded.

—Staff writer Molly E. Kelly can be reached at mkelly@college.harvard.edu.