POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 9, 2014) – The Vassar College men's fencing team chalked up five solid wins Sunday afternoon in the season opening Vassar College Invitational, hosted by the Brewers in Walker Field House.

The Brewers (5-2) picked up wins over Yeshiva University, Hunter College, Haverford College, Lafayette College and Army, and narrowly missed triumphs over Stevens and Sacred Heart University. Vassar College started the afternoon with an emphatic 24-3 win over Yeshiva, as the sabre squad went a perfect 9-0.

In the match with the Maccabees, the Brewers got a pair of wins from freshman Eli Polston (Silver Spring, MD/Einstein), Zachary Wilson (Rochester, NY/Allendale Columbia School) and Campbell Woods (Newport Beach, CA/Corona Del Mar). The epee squad was 8-1 in a preview of superb fencing to come all day from the group, and the foil team earned seven wins as well.

VC picked up its second win of the afternoon against Hunter, as the Brewers again breezed by their opponents with a 23-4 victory. Freshman Tom Racek (Clark's Summitt, PA/Abington Heights) and senior captain Trè Artis (Jamaica, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) each racked up three wins each, while freshman epee fencer Jonathan Alperstein (Fishkill, NY/John Jay) booked three triumphs as well.

The Brewers narrowly fell to the Ducks of Stevens, 14-13, in the next round, though the sabre squad and epee squad each picked up 6-3 wins. Woods posted three of his squad-high 15 wins on the day against Stevens, and sophomore epee fencer Ry Farley (Pasadena, CA/Waverly School) also registered a perfect 3-0 docket.

Vassar would rebound though with a solid 16-11 win over Haverford in round five, as the sabre team again had a great match. The sabre fencers tallied seven wins, including three more from Woods and two from Wilson to give VC a solid lead. Alperstein and fellow freshman George Whiteside (Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Ludlowe) each posted two victories against the Fords, as did Racek in foil.

VC battled to its fourth win of the day against Lafayette in round five, as all three squads picked up victories. Freshman sabre fencer Eric Lee (Fishkill, NY/John Jay) won two bouts, and finished the day 4-0, while Artis, Racek and Roberto Maiocco (Springfield, IL/Sacred Heart-Griffin) each were perfect against LC.

The sixth match of the day went the way of the Brewers as well, as VC knocked off Army 17-10. The foil and sabre teams paced Vassar against the Black Knights, as Polston tallied three wins and Woods and junior team captain Elam Coalson (River Forest, IL/Oak Park & River Forest) were 2-1.

Artis won his sixth straight bout with three more wins over West Point, and Racek also helped Vassar with a 3-0 record. The final match of the day was one of the most exciting of the afternoon, as the Brewers took on rival No. 12 Sacred Heart. The Brewer epee team was electric, giving Vassar an early 7-2 lead as Alperstein and Farley were each 3-0, and Whiteside had a gutty 5-4 win in his final match of the day. One of the most impressive bout wins of the day came from Artis in foil, as he took down the Pioneer's Andrew Holmes. Holmes finished 11^th in the nation last year in foil, and that victory was a big sign that VC could compete with some of the best in the nation this year.

Artis wasn't done, as he also earned another win against the Pioneers, and Polston also chalked up two victories. In the end though, Sacred Heart was a little too tough in earning a 15-12 win over Vassar.

On the day, Vassar's sabre group was outstanding, going 46-17 to lead all squads. The epee team won 43 of its 63 bouts, and the foil team also was 35-28 in what was a very strong day across the board. Individually, the Brewers got a team-best 15 wins from Woods, Racek and Alperstein, while Farley and Whiteside were not too far behind with 13 and 12, respectively.

Artis was 14-7 at men's foil, and Polston also cashed in on 11 victories for the Brewers. Both the epee and sabre teams won six of the seven squad battles, while foil earned five squad victories as well.

The Brewer men will next compete when they host the Matt Lampell Hudson Valley Invitational next Sunday, November 16 at 11 a.m. in Walker Field House.