POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 9, 2017) – The 2017-18 Vassar College women's fencing team comes into this season looking to improve on last year's 28-20 record, which was one of the team's most successful seasons in program history. In fact, the Brewers had one more than 28 dual matches just once before, as VC earned 31 wins back in 2010-11.
 
The strong campaign from last year and the momentum from it should continue into this season, as Vassar returns a strong nine solid fencers while adding seven freshmen in what could be a transitional season for the Brewers. VC will have to contend early with a few key members of the team being abroad, but those members should return in the spring term ready to give the Brewers a boost.
 
In the meantime, some younger Vassar fencers will get the opportunity to contribute right away. With seven newcomers, VC will need contributions from all of them throughout this season in all three weapon categories.
 
With such a long season ahead of them, the Brewers and senior captain Annie Innes-Gold mentioned how important it was to focus on the short term goals that lead into the long term goals of having success in the Northeast Fencing Conference, Eastern Women's Fencing Conference and at the NEIFC Championships late in the year.
 
"We're working with all of these people, and we want to get as much strength as we can for each squad so we're not depending on one squad when we go to these meets," said Innes-Gold. "I think we have some great new people that are catching on really fast and I think it should be easy to develop that strength."
 
EPEE
No squad will feel the hit of graduation more than the epee squad this season, as Vassar lost one of its all-time winningest fencers in Olivia Weiss last May. Weiss was a leader and star for Vassar for four seasons, and her contributions will be missed in 2017-18.
 
VC will also be without the services of second-leading bout winner Rose Hulsey-Vincent until after the Holiday break, but she is slated to return to lead the Brewer epee squad after winning 84 bouts last season. After Hulsey-Vincent, Vassar's leading returning epee fencer is Sam Lottick, who posted 15 wins last year.
 
The epee group will rely heavily on a young group this fall semester, as Ashley Kim has transitioned from sabre to epee to help lead this inexperienced crew. Kim fenced sparingly last season for Vassar, but the epee group will open an opportunity to fence in a more full-time role.
 
VC will also look to Shannon Chen, Hannah Gaven and Grace Han to step up this season as well. Chen and Gaven each picked up a victory at The Big One last weekend, and look for the newcomers to improve as they get more seasoning.
 
FOIL
The foil team has five fencers listed on the roster this season, including three juniors and two freshmen. The mix of experience and fresh blood will be nice for a squad that looks to continue its success from last year. In fact, the foil team led all three weapons in victories last season with 277, led by the 89 from Sophie Blumenstock.
 
Blumenstock is abroad in the fall, so she won't be around during the first few big weekends for Vassar, so the Brewers will rely on fellow junior Mirit Rutishauser to lead the squad. The athletic foil fencer posted 83 victories last season as a sophomore, and took 11^th overall at The Big One last weekend.
 
Junior Zoe Morgan only fenced in seven bouts as a sophomore, but she will get more chances on the strips early on. Morgan was 3-4 last season, but had a solid outing last week at The Big One. Freshman Breanna Piercy also had a strong showing in her first weekend of fencing last weekend, and will likely get a starting spot early on in the season.
 
Freshman Isabella Migani has also been strong in opening season workouts, but an injury late in the preseason has sidelined her. Once healthy, Migani will give VC another consistent option at the foil weapon.
 
SABRE
The Brewers welcome back three fencers this season from last year's sabre squad, including captain and leader Annie Innes-Gold. After returning from her study abroad trip, Innes-Golf tallied 67 wins during the spring semester including earning Northeast Fencing Conference First Team All-Star honors.
 
Innes-Gold will be joined by fellow senior Lilia Hutchinson, who was a full-time starter last season and accumulated 37 victories during her junior season. Sophomore Kati Kim is also back after posting 14 victories in 2016-17, as she will add depth at a weapon of strength this season.
 
Vassar's sabre squad also has a pair of freshmen coming in this season that the team is excited about, as Nicoletta Dinelli and Rose Parker each had very effective weekends at The Big One last Saturday. Dinelli finished 16^th overall out of 54 sabre fencers at the event while Parker was right behind her in 17^th place. Both should get plenty of chances to battle for starting positions this year, bolstering what could be VC's best weapon group in 2017-18.
 
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Vassar will get its 2017-18 dual meet season started this upcoming Sunday with the 2017 Vassar Invitational at 10 a.m. in Walker Field House.