POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (December 3, 2012) – The Vassar College men's fencing team faced five of the nation's top six fencing programs, according to CollegeFencing360.com on Saturday at Walker Field House. The Brewers were able to hold their own against an elite group of teams and individual fencers, factors that will bode well for the team in the second half of the season.

Recent NCAA Fencing Rankings, including teams competing at Vassar:
1. Ohio State
2. Princeton
3. St. John's
4. Notre Dame
5. Penn State
6. Harvard
7. Pennsylvania
8. Duke
9. Columbia
10. Sacred Heart
Others receiving votes: North Carolina, Stanford, Yale, Brown, Boston College, Air Force, Brandeis, NYU.

Outstanding performer on the day for Vassar was senior captain Tavish Pegram in epee at 8-5. Pegram's results will help his seeding into NCAA Regionals in March.

Vassar 1, Penn State 26
The bright spot for Vassar in this round against the 11-time national champions was Pegram's one win in epee.

Vassar 3, Harvard 24
Harvard has an extremely strong squad that is always contending for an Ivy League Championship. Pegram went 2-1 in this round. Sabre squad leader John Arden added one win.

Vassar 5, University of Pennsylvania 22
This was Vassar's first dual match against Penn in recent years. The Quakers field a strong squad. In sabre, Arden and Zach Wilson each earned one victory. Pegram was 2-1 in epee and the squad went 3-6 overall with another win added by Nicholas Mongillo.

Vassar 3, Princeton 24
Princeton is fields a strong team, and the Tigers have gotten even better over the last two years. They are currently ranked No. 2 nationally. Pegram came within one touch of defeating the reigning national champion Jonathan Yergler. Pegram did win his other two bouts against Edward Kelley and Jack Hudson to go 2-1. Alex Vastola added on win in foil.

Vassar 4, University of North Carolina  23
UNC added yet another strong squad to the multi-meet. Pegram was 1-0 in epee, but Arden accounted for Vassar's only sabre win at 1-2. Matt Steinschneider and Alex Vastola each added a win in Foil.

Now,  8-8 on the season, the Brewers will gear up for the North East Conference Match #2 at Brown University on Saturday, January 26. Opponents include Brown, Brandeis, Boston College, Tufts, and MIT.