POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (November 10, 2019) – After dropping the first matchup of the day, the Stevens Institute of Technology women's fencing team went on to win the next seven team bouts to post a 7-1 overall record in the Vassar Invitational Sunday.

Sophomore Kiera Barnes led all fencers for the Ducks as she went 20-3 at sabre on the day to reach 100 wins in her career.

Stevens earned victories over Sacred Heart University, University of The Incarnate Word, Denison University, Hunter College, Lafayette College, Wagner University and Army-West Point in the meet.

The lone loss for Stevens came against Wellesley College, who finished the day a perfect 8-0.

Each weapon was successful in the meet as the Ducks went 47-25 at epee, 50-22 at foil and 49-23 at sabre.

In total, seven fencers were able to post double-digit wins in the meet as Leigha Capra (10), Claire McNeill (14), Teny Odaimi (10), Kayleigh Kubit (10), Nicole Strezewski (11), Allison Urban-Spillane (12), Chrissy Drobish (16) all accomplished the feat.

Wellesley College (Loss 20-7)

• Odiami went 2-0 and Capra added another at epee against the Blues as the epee discipline finished 3-6 overall.
• Sophomore Sara Persau and Strezewski each earned victories for the Ducks at foil as Stevens was outscored 2-7.
• Barnes won two of her three matches against Wellesley, but could not grab any more victories as the Ducks fell 2-7 at sabre.

Sacred Heat University (Win 18-9)

• McNeill picked up a pair of wins while Capra and freshman Giovanna Caravaglia each had one to give the Ducks a 5-4 edge at epee.
• Kubit posted a perfect 3-0 record and Strezewksi and Urban-Spillane added two apiece as Stevens went 7-2 against SHU at foil.
• At sabre, the Ducks got two wins each from Barnes, Drobish and sophomore Bayla Gellerstein and won the weapon 6-3.

University of the Incarnate Word (Win 15-12)

• Capra finished with two wins and McNeill produced one more, but Stevens lost at epee overall 3-6 against the Cardinals.
• The Ducks got single victories from freshman Ashley McDermott, Persau, Strezewski and Urban-Spillane as Stevens narrowly fell 4-5 at foil.
• In what was the closest dual of the meet for Stevens, the Ducks got a dominant effort from sabre as Barnes, Drobish went 3-0 and sophomore Gabriella Onelli went 2-1 to win the weapon 8-1.

Denison University (Win 21-6)

• McNeill produced two wins and Capra, Caravaglia and Odaimi each added one to give the Ducks a 5-4 win at epee.
• Stevens got wins from six different fencers at foil, including the first victories of the invitational from freshman Brianna Ellis, senior Caitlin Uang and sophomore Ashley Yu, to go a perfect 9-0.
• Just like against UIW, Barnes and Drobish went 3-0 at sabre against Denison while junior Kian Wissemann added another for a 6-3 record in the weapon.

Hunter College (Win 25-2)

• In the most lopsided win of the day, the Ducks went unbeaten at epee with the first wins of the meet from sophomore Christine Chan and freshman Kiera Mizzi.
• Five different fencers produced at least one victory at foil against the Hawks as Stevens went 7-2.
• Just like at epee, Stevens also finished a perfect 9-0 at sabre with three wins each from Barnes, Drobish and Gellerstein.

Lafayette College (Win 19-8)

• Six different fencers earned a victory led by a pair from Chan in what was a 7-2 win at epee for the Ducks.
• Strezewski, Uang and Urban-Spillane all went 3-0 to lead Stevens to a perfect 9-0 record at foil against the Leopards.
• Barnes produced two wins and Wissemann added another as the Ducks fell 3-6 at sabre.

Wagner University (Win 17-10)

• McNeill won three bouts for the first time in the meet while Capra and Odaimi added two each to go 7-2 at epee.
• Kubit was a perfect 3-0 and Persau and Strezewski had one each for a narrow 5-4 win at foil for the Ducks.
• Stevens also won 5-4 at sabre as Barnes and Drobish had two apiece and Gellerstein picked up one in the win.

Army West Point (Win 24-3)

• The Ducks got three wins from McNeill, two each from Capra and Odaimi and one from Mizzi in an 8-1 win at epee.
• Six Stevens fencers won at least one bout at foil to post a 7-2 victory over the Black Knights to close out the day.
• Barnes and Drobish had three victories apiece and Gellerstein, Onelli and Wissemann had one each in a 9-0 sweep.

From the Strips (Head Coach Linda Vollkommer-Lynch)

• "It was a great season opener. We worked really well as a team and the three weapons balanced each other. The freshmen came together sooner than expected and we were able to defeat a number of Division I opponents today. The season ahead looks good."

Next Up

• Following the Stevens Alumni Meet next Sunday, the next competition for the Ducks will be in the Drew Holiday Invitational November 24 at 9:30 a.m. in Madison, N.J.