POUGHKEEPSIE NY (January 28, 2016) – The Vassar College men's fencing team returns to the strip this weekend in New Haven, CT, taking on the Bulldogs of Yale University in a single dual match. The Brewers had a solid weekend last Saturday, going 3-2 in five matches at the Northeast Fencing Conference meet. Vassar knocked off MIT, Boston College and Tufts University to start the day, falling in heartbreakers to Brandeis University and Brown University later in the day.

Meet Details
Opponents: at Yale University
Links: 
(Vassar Men's Fencing Home Page) (Roster) (Schedule)
Site: New Haven, CT
Facility: Yale Fencing Salon
Date: January 30, 2016
Time: 2 p.m.

What To Look For
This weekend's dual meet with the Bulldogs is the only single dual meet the Brewers compete in all season, as the squad normally fences in five or six matches per day. It will be important for the Brewers to come out quick against Yale, as the Brewers will only have 27 bouts to earn a match win on Saturday. VC started quick last week at Boston College, and will need that again against a very strong Ivy League team in Yale.

A Look At The Brewers (19-12)
- Vassar College will look to earn its 20^th victory of the season this weekend, marking its third straight season with 20 or more dual match wins.
- The Brewers had never earned 20 wins in a season until 2010-11, and since have achieved the feat three times in program history.
- Sophomore Eli Polston was stellar in sabre last weekend, going 13-1 on the day which included an 11-match win streak to end the afternoon.
- The sabre squad was 5-0 at the NFC Meet last weekend, and for the season has gone 24-7 in dual meets.
- Sophomore Tom Racek continues to be the leader of the foil team for the Brewers, having posted a 49-19 record on the season. He was 10-4 last weekend at Boston College, as he sits in a tie for third on the team in victories with 49.
- The epee team has been strong recently going 3-2 last weekend at Boston College, led by sophomore Jonathan Alperstein and his 11 wins.
- Sophomore Daniel Swezenski moved into the starting three in epee for Vassar last weekend, and posted four wins for the Brewers.
- Vassar knocked off Boston College last weekend  16-11, which was a nice win over a team that was earning votes in the CollegeFencing360.com poll.

A Look At The Bulldogs
- Yale is currently garnering 25 votes in the CollegeFencing360.com poll this week, and hasn't competed since January 16 at Penn State University after Winter Storm Jonas cancelled last weekend's meet at St. John's.
- The Bulldogs foil team is led by Brian Wang, who finished 13^th at the NCAA Northeast Regional last season.
- Derek Soled, a senior, finished 33^rd at NCAA Regionals last year while fellow senior and teammate Dillion Lew posted a 30^th place finish as well at the same regional tournament.
- Junior sabre fencer Reed Srere finished 14^th at NCAA Northeast Regionals last year, while Ian Richards also earned a spot in the event last year.
- Last time out for Yale, it defeated North Carolina and Haverford, falling to Columbia, Duke, Pennsylvania and host Penn State.
- Yale head coach Henry Harutunian has been at the helm of the Bulldog fencing team for over 40 years, and has been National Coach of the Year on both the men's and women's side.

Up Next
The Brewers will head to the final Northeast Fencing Conference meet of the season on February 6 at Smith College, taking on Sacred Heart, New Hampshire, Dartmouth, Boston University and Massachusetts.