OSU Fencers Host Dual Meet – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/22/2000 12:00:00 AM | Fencing
Feb. 22, 2000
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio State fencing team will host Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Chicago, Northwestern’s men’s squad only and Wayne State at Larkins Hall at 8 a.m.
BUCKEYES FENCE WELL AT DUKE DUALS
The Ohio State fencing team faced the adversity of illness, surgery and injuries going into the Duke Duals. The men finished 0-5, losing to Air Force, M.I.T., Duke, Brandeis and North Carolina, Coach Vladimir Nazlymov was pleased with the team’s performance.
“Vladimir was very proud of the way the team competed, especially the men’s squad,” assistant coach Michael Shearer said. “We had some guys fence in events that weren’t their weapons.”
The men’s foil squad was depleted because Geoff Kane had his tonsils removed and couldn’t compete and several other fencers had the flu and strep throat. “It wasn’t that the team wasn’t just physically hurting but also mentally unprepared,” Shearer said.
“When you know you are basically giving up six bouts against each team because of things out of your control it is extremely difficult,” Shearer said.
The women’s squad finished the Duke Duals 3-2 with wins over M.I.T., 16-11, Duke, 22-7 and Brandeis, 19-8. Both the women’s losses were very close. They dropped a 14-13 match to Air Force and a 15-12 match to North Carolina. The foil squad led the way for the women , finishing the day undefeated.
“They were awesome,” Shearer said. The foil squad was led by Fane Groes, “Miss Reliable,” as Shearer put it. She was undefeated at Duke winning all 15 bouts.
Coach Shearer said the sabre and epee squads had good and bad moments.
“The sabre and epee squads weren’t consistent,” he said. “The fourth and fifth matches in epee seemed to go the wrong way.”
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
Greg Bianca anchored the men’s epee squad with eight wins and six losses. Alan Jones and Scott Francis both finished 6-8 and Jason Abele finished 2-1.
The depleted men’s foil squad was led by Greg Carlino who finished 7-8. Michael Dangler and Jason Abele finished 0-3.
No one on the sabre squad posted a winning record at Duke. Joe Wernet finished 6-8, Michael Siward finished 5-8, Ian Cliffe finished 3-7, and Michael Dangler was 2-6 on the weekend.
The women’s epee squad was anchored by Toya Holland who had 12 wins. Leah Tracy finished with 10 wins and 8 losses and Jaime Rice was 8-7.
The women’s foil squad was led by Fane Groes who finished the weekend undefeated. Sally Dowding helped the Buckeyes by finishing 14-1.
The sabre, in its first year of competition by women, was led by Sara Bowen, who finished 8-7. Lynn El-Hillow and Kelly McCafferty turned in a solid performances winning six bouts and losing nine.
THIS WEEK’S MVP’S
Most Valuable Player award for the Duke Duals goes to sophomore Greg Bianca. His weapon is the epee. On a very taxing day of competition, Bianca led the men’s squad in wins with eight. Honorable mentions are awarded to Jason Abele and Michael Dangler for helping the epee squad by competing with weapons other than their specialty.
The women’s Most Valuable Player was junior Fane Groes. Her weapon is the foil and she finished the weekend 15-0. Coach Shearer has dubbed her, `Miss Reliable,’ and said Groes has great potential and after finishing 12th in the country last year they are pushing her to get good solid wins in hopes of a top four NCAA finish. “She is a legitimate All-America candidate,” Shearer said.
THE BUCKEYE DUALS OUTLOOK
The Buckeyes will face all seven schools coming to the Buckeye Duals Feb. 26. Ohio State has already competed against all the schools except two: Detroit Mercy and Wayne State. Coach Michael Shearer said the Buckeyes should do well at this meet.
“These are all teams we have fenced before and beaten, with the exception of Detroit Mercy and Wayne State,” Shearer said. “Those two schools are similar to Ohio State in that Wayne State has a couple of standouts and the rest of the match will be won in the second and third bouts. We don’t know too much about Detroit Mercy except that in the past three years, they have had three different coaches.”
According to coach Shearer, the three keys to the weekend for the women’s squad are Sally Dowding’s performance on the foil squad. She had an outstanding meet at Duke and needs to turn in that kind of performance again. Sara Bowen and Lynn El-Hillow are keys two and three. These two Buckeyes need to turn in strong performances in the sabre for Ohio State to be successful this weekend. This is also the last tournament for these three fencers to help improve their seedings for the NCAA Qualifying tournament March 11.
Shearer’s three keys for the men’s squad are the health of Geoff Kane. He has not been able to practice or work out with the team after having his tonsils removed last week. The performance of the foil squad is the second key. The foil squad needs to win the second and third bouts and win some of the 5-4 matches. The final key is the performance of Greg Carlino.Carlino has a good shot at making the NCAA Tournament but needs to have a solid performance to boost his confidence and his seeding in the NCAA Qualifying Tournament March 11.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Freshman Guy Loftin continues to be ranked No. 25 nationally in men’s sabre. Rankings are compiled by the United States Fencing Association and are available at www.USFencing.com. Volunteer coach Terrance Lasker is ranked No. 2 nationally in the men’s sabre.
