POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (February 9, 2015) – The Vassar College women's fencing team went 4-1 this past weekend at the final Northeast Fencing Conference meet of the season, finishing seventh in the league. The Brewers start a busy week Tuesday night, heading to New York City to battle the top ranked team in the nation in Columbia University in the nightcap, starting the afternoon with action against host NYU.

Meet Details
Date: February 10, 2015
Meet: vs. New York University (2-18) & No. 1 Columbia University (23-1)
Links: (Vassar Women's Fencing Team Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule) (Statistics)
Site: New York, NY
Facility: Coles Sports Center
Time: 5 p.m. & 6 p.m.
 
What To Look For
The Brewers have already fenced against New York University this season, earning a nice 17-10 win over the Violets at the Sacred Heart Tournament December 7. NYU will be looking to defend its home turf Tuesday night, so with Columbia on the horizon, it'll be important for the Brewers to get off to a quick start against the host Violets. It's also Family Day for the Violets Tuesday night, so look for an emotional NYU team to come out strong against Vassar.
 
A Look At The Field
The host Violets have struggled to get wins this year, going just 2-18, but the schedule has been a very difficult one for NYU. Despite going 1-5 last week at the Eric Sollee Invitational, the Violets won double-digit bouts in four of those matches, including earning a 19-11 win over Haverford College. New York University will boast an epee team that sent two members to the NCAA Regional last year, and senior captain Audra Fox went 23-15 last season, placing 16^th at the NCAA Northeast Regional.
 
Top-ranked Columbia University is coming off yet another Ivy League title Monday afternoon, as the Lions rolled past the other five squads to a conference championship. The Lions have lost just once all season, coming on a 14-13 decision to Penn State January 17. Both epee and foil teams for the Lions have gone 15-3 on the season, and the only real chink in the armor of Columbia has been the sabre team and its still solid 11-7 mark. Junior foilist Jackie Dubrovich has cone 23-2 this season after tying for third at the NCAA Championships last year. Junior teammate Margaret Lu is 27-2 in foil as well, and has posted 16-2 records within the Ivy League the past two seasons. The pair went a combined 17-1 in the first day of Ivy League Round-Robins Sunday.
 
Impact Newcomer
Freshman Kirsten Denman (Yellow Springs, OH/Yellow Springs) finished NFC season sixth in winning percentage, and is in line to earn a spot on the All-AFC All-Star squad. Denman won 77.8 percent of her bouts, going 28-8.
 
Twice As Weiss
Sophomore Olivia Weiss (Pittsburgh, PA/Pennsylvania Cyber Charter) went 12-2 on Saturday, finishing the conference with a 27-8 record in the NFC. Her winning percentage of 77.1 was fifth-best in the NFC.
 
Sister, Sister
Freshman Annie Innes-Gold (Northampton, MA/Northampton) posted a 27-9 record in conference bouts, finishing eighth in the league, just below her older sister Sarah from Tufts University.
 
Final Call
The Brewers combined with the men's team to finish with 11 wins overall, sixth most among all schools with men and women's squads.
 
Stepping Up
The Brewers come into the week with 22 wins, the most since going 31-7 back in 2010-11 which was a program record. The 22 victories is the second-most ever for Vassar.
 
Up Next
The Vassar women will take part in the first-ever Eastern Women's Fencing Conference Championships Sunday, February 15 at 8:30 a.m. in Hoboken, NJ, hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology.