POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 15, 2009) – The Vassar women's fencing team began its dual match season in resounding fashion on Sunday, taking on the difficult challenge of facing eight opponents in one afternoon. The Brewers were more than up to the task, going 5-3, with only two bouts the difference in a 7-1 performance.

In a long afternoon of competitive fencing, outstanding efforts were produced by junior captain Sophie Courser (17-1 in the epee), freshman Chaia Flegenheimer (8-4 in the epee), sophomore Brooke Schieffer (13-8 in the sabre), senior Melissa Lee (12-7 in the foil) and freshman #Kaite LeClair (19-3 in the foil). Sophomore foilist Alia Heints (3-0) and senior epeeist Emilia Mendieta (4-2) also had fine starts to the season.

Round 1: Vassar 14 – Haverford 13
This round was a quick start to the day against a good team. Vassar epee carried the round with a 7-2 squad win with Courser leading the charge at 3-0 and sophomore Veronica Weser and freshman Caitlin Clevenger going 2-1. Foil 4-5 and Sabre 3-6 squeezed out just enough wins to seal the victory.

Round 2: Vassar 13 – Queens 14
A new and surprising Queens team that caught the Brewers flat footed. Although epee was dominant in a 6-3 squad victory, foil was only able to pull out three wins and the Queens sabre squad just the right amount of experience to pull out the victory.

Round 3: Vassar 17 – Drew 10
Epee continued to rock in this round with the same trio performing from the first round, and the team produced an identical 7-2 victory. Foil was strong at 6-3 behind a 3-0 performance from LeClair and a 2-1 mark set by Lee. Sabre had a good round with Schieffer going 2-1, senior Ariel Hulley and freshman Jillian Josimovich each at 1-2.

Round 4: Vassar 18 – Hunter 9
Hunter fielded an impressive sabre squad and Vassar was able to win only one bout against the Hawks. The Vassar squad went 1-8 that round. But with foil undefeated at 9-0, (Lee, LeClair, and Heintz all at 3-0) and epee continuing to roll at 8-1 (Courser and senior Jacinthe Sasson-Yenor both at 3-0 and Weser at 2-1) the match turned in Vassar's favor.

Round 5: Vassar 3 – Cornell 27
Cornell has a strong an impressive team that should do extremely well in Ivy League competition, according to Vassar head coach Bruce Gillman. Cornell took sabre 0-9, epee 2-7, foil 1-8. Gillman said it was a good test to face Cornell for the first time in two years. For the Brewers, Courser went 2-1 in this round.

Round 6: Vassar 13 – Stevens 14
An improved sabre team gave Stevens the edge in the match as the Brewers had only one victory and went 1-8. A 5-4 foil squad win behind a 3-0 mark set by LeClair and yet another 7-2 epee squad win by Courser, Clevenger, and Weser was a strong outing, but the Brewers fell one bout short of a team victory.

Round 7: Vassar 20 – Yeshiva 7
All three squads performed capably in the match.. Epee went 5-4 with Flegenheimer and Mendieta leading the way at 2-1. Foil came alive with an impressive 8-1 victory featuring 3-0 marks set by LeClair and fellow freshman Katharine Sweeney and a 2-1 round for sophomore Elizabeth Ilechko. Sabre also had its best round of the day igniting for a 7-2 squad victory Scheffer going 3-0 and 2-1, with additional victories by Josimovich and sophomore Vanora Estridge.

Round 8: Vassar 16 – CCNY 11
This last round of a long day was a good one for Vassar with foil and epee both closing out the day with 6-3 performances and sabre coming in at 4-5. Schieffer, Lee, and Leclair were undefeated and Mendieta, Flegenheimer, and Sasson-Yenor all went 2-1.

The next match for the Vassar women's fencing team will be at home in Walker Field House on Saturday, November 21 against Bard, Marist, SUNY New Paltz, Albany, and RPI.