MEDFORD, MA (February 11, 2017) – The Vassar College men's fencing team finished the 2016-17 Northeast Fencing Conference slate on Saturday, dominating action while earning five wins in as many matches in matches held at Tufts University and Cozzens Gymnasium.

With the wins, the Brewers established a new school record for dual match wins in a season with 28, breaking the record of 25 set last season. The last few seasons have been some of the best ever for the program, as the depth of all three weapons has shined through. That was apparent again on Saturday, as all five matches were sound, decided victories.

Vassar knocked off the University of New Hampshire 26-1 to start the day's festivities, followed by a 25-2 win over Boston University. VC would then knock off Dartmouth College 21-6, Sacred Heart University 17-10, finishing up the afternoon with a triumph over the University of Massachusetts, 22-5.

In the opening match of the day, both the foil and epee teams went undefeated, as the sabre squad picked up eight of the nine bouts. In foil, freshman Jack Holmes was a perfect 3-0, while fellow newcomer Noe Berger claimed two wins as well.

Junior foil fencer Tom Racek continued to dominate conference foes, going 2-0, while Michael Skolnick and Aaron Choi each took their only bout. In epee, junior George Whiteside earned all three of his bouts, and Daniel Swerzenski and Ry Farley also added two wins. The sabre team saw junior Eli Polston go 3-0, allowing just one touch in three bouts.

Against the Big Green of Dartmouth, Vassar rolled thanks to seven wins apiece from all three weapons. Racek won both of his bouts, while Holmes was 2-0 and Berger added a pair of victories. In epee, junior Jonathan Alperstein was unblemished in his three bouts, allowing just five touches, while Swerzenski went 2-1. Whiteside was also 2-0 in epee for the Brewers.

In sabre, Polston added three more wins to his conference tally against the Big Green, while squad mate freshman Graeme Mills was 2-0 and Eric Lee took his only bout 5-3. In round four, Vassar lost only two bouts to the Terriers of BU, highlighted by the nine from the foil team. Holmes moved to 8-0 on the day with three more wins, and Berger was 2-0 before handing his spot over to Choi, who won 5-0. Racek also was untested in his two bouts before Skolnick subbed in to take a 5-1 victory.

In epee, Farley won all three of his bouts, winning two of those 5-0, while Whiteside and Swerzenski each were 2-0 before being subbed out. The sabre team saw senior Campbell Woods take victories in his two bouts, 5-1 and 5-2, while Polston added three more wins to his column. Mills won twice, and senior Clayton Marr also took his only bout against BU.

The main event of the day for Vassar was against one of its main rivals in Sacred Heart, and the Brewers would pick up the win, thanks to a sabre squad that dominated to the tune of eight victories. Holmes led the foil team with two wins, but SHU won the weapon 5-4. In epee, Alperstein and Farley each went 2-1 while Whiteside also earned a strong 5-4 victory over Matt Love of Sacred Heart.

The deciding factor though for VC was the clinic it put on in sabre, as experience played huge for VC. Woods would win all three of his bouts, including an exciting 5-4 win over Cory Meola, while Polston picked up three wins as well with scores of 5-3, 5-3 and 5-2. Mills would add two more triumphs as well, as the squad helped carry VC to the win.

The final match of the day for VC was less stressful, as VC dropped just five bouts to the Minutemen of UMass. The epee team saw Whiteside go 2-1, while Farley and Swerzenski each added a 2-0 mark. Woods continued to roll with three more wins, and Lee got the start and made the most of it with a perfect 3-0 record. With the five wins, Vassar moved up to a tie in the NFC standings for fifth place with MIT.

Vassar will head back out on the road on Wednesday evening, traveling to New York City to fence New York University and the defending National Champions Columbia University in a mid-week tilt at Columbia.