POUGHKEEPSIE NY (January 28, 2016) – The Vassar College women's fencing team, currently sitting at 16-16 on the season, heads to New Haven, CT to battle the Bulldogs of Yale University Saturday afternoon. The Brewers went 2-4 last weekend at Boston College in the first day in Northeast Fencing Conference action, defeating Smith College and Tufts University while dropping a pair of 15-12 heartbreakers to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brandeis University.

Meet Details
Opponents: at Yale University
Links: 
(Vassar Women'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
The Brewers will have their hands full against a very strong Yale squad, though CollegeFencing360.com polls ranks Yale between Brandeis and MIT. The Brewers gave both Brandeis and MIT a run last weekend, so if Vassar can get solid production across the three weapons it could have a chance to knock off our former Ivy League brother school.

A Look At The Brewers (16-16)
- Vassar College has had another strong season, posting 16 wins on the year, and is trying to get to 20 wins for the fourth time in the last six seasons. VC is coming off a 27-20 year in 2014-15, the second-most wins ever for a season in program history.
- Junior Olivia Weiss earned 10 wins last week at the Northeast Fencing Conference meet, leading all epee fencers for the Brewers.
- The women's foil group has been the most consistent contingent on the team for Vassar, and sophomore Kirsten Denman went 14-2 in conference action last weekend. Her 87.5 winning percentage is second-best in the NFC.
- In sabre, sophomore Annie Innes-Gold earned wins in 88.9 percent of her bouts last weekend, which ranks fourth-best in the NFC right now.
- Denman and Innes-Gold have each elevated their fencing of late, as Denman has gone 28-5 over her last 33 bouts.
- Denman, Weiss and Innes-Gold are all battling for the team lead in victories this season, as Denman has the edge right now with 59 total wins, while the other two have 57 on the season.
- Head coach Bruce Gillman had led the Brewers to 10 straight double-digit win seasons, easily the best stretch in program history.

A Look At The Bulldogs
- Yale will entertain the Brewers and Sacred Heart this weekend, after not competing last weekend due to Winter Storm Jonas.
- The Bulldogs only have 13 fencers on their roster this season, after losing some to graduation last year, including NCAA Championship competitor Lauren Miller and NCAA regional competitor Katherine Miller.
- Yale does return a solid core to the team, including sophomore Ilana Kamber, who placed 23^rd nationally at the NCAA Championships last year.
- Maria Martinez is another strong sabre fencer for the Bulldogs, as she finished 14^th at the 2015 NCAA Northeast Regional last season. Squad mate Joanna Lew was 16^th as well, while now junior Lillie Lainoff was 24^th, completing a deep and talented sabre group for YU.
- Ella Belina will pace the foil team for the Bulldogs, as will freshman Jenny Zhao and senior Megan Murphy, which are the only listed foil fencers on the roster.
- The epee squad for the Bulldogs has three freshmen listed in epee, and three of the four freshmen this season for Yale are epee fencers.

Up Next
Vassar finishes Northeast Fencing Conference action next Saturday, February 6 at Smith College at 10 a.m. in Northampton, MA.