Dec. 13, 2006

BOSTON, MA - The SHU Women's fencing team kicked off a big weekend of competition against NCAA Champions Harvard in Cambridge on Saturday. Despite losing 23-4 the team had a bright spot in freshman saber fencer Krista Bacci who had a perfect 3-0 day.

"Krista has been outstanding all season and is fencing like a veteran" commented Head Coach Dr. Thomas Vrabel. "Krista has become the star of the team and has an excellent chance of qualifying for the NCAA Championships come March".

Krista finished the semester's campaign with an impressive 20-4 record, including a 4-2 record against Ivy League stalwarts Harvard and Pennsylvania.

In action at the SHU Invitational on Sunday at the Pitt Center the women fought hard but dropped two tough matches to Hunter 16-11 and Vassar 17-10. The team was led on the day by Bacci (4-2) and freshmen foilist Chloe Krueger (4-2) and Epeeist Ali Roach (3-3). The women's squad is very young, starting 6 freshmen and having only one senior (team captain Liz Mordecai) on the team.

"They are doing very well for being so inexperienced at this level of competition" commented Coach Vrabel. "We are improving every week and I see a very bright future for this team".

The SHU women fencers are back in action at Haverford College on January 20 in a 6-way match including, Temple, Northwestern, Duke and North Carolina.