Oliver Kliewe / Sun File Photo
The Cornell fencing team had a strong starts to their season this weekend at the Temple Open.
For the Cornell fencing team, the season is off to a great start as the women were victorious in their first tournament of the season at the Temple Open. The tournament was held in Philadelphia at Temple University this past weekend. It is an individual tournament drawing over 600 athletes from 30 different universities and the Red finished the tournament earning three medals — a gold in women’s epee, as well as two bronze medals in saber and foil.
Junior Victoria Wines is hopeful for the season as a whole, explaining that the team’s hard work will ideally reflect in how it performs.
“My team made me very proud this weekend,” she said. “I am confident this season will reflect the hard work and determination of our team.”
During the Temple Open, Wines earned the gold medal — therefore winning the women’s epee section of the tournament. She had also earned a gold medal title in epee during last year’s Temple Open. Aside from Wines, the Red had four other women finish within the Top-10, including part of Cornell’s saber squad, sophomores Megan Buteau and Regina Chen, who finished seventh and ninth respectively.
Like Buteau and Chen, freshman Zoee D’Costa, also a member of the Red’s saber squad, had a successful performance in the Temple Open. D’Costa earned a bronze medal in women’s saber and was also named one of the top-10 athletes at the tournament.
“Overall, we had lots of great results,” said freshman Emma Wilkinson. “It was a good warm up for the rest of our season.”
Wilkinson, along with Wines and senior Jenny Zheng, led the epee squad for the Red, with all three finishing within the Top-20. Wilkinson and Zheng finished in the number 12 and 20 spots, respectively.
Like the saber and epee squads, Cornell’s foil squad also did well in the Temple Open. Senior Ediona Sera finished the tournament with a bronze medal, while other members of the foil squad, like senior Angelica Gangemi and sophomore Gabby Zusin finished within the Top-15.
After having such success in its first tournament of the season, the Red is looking forward to its upcoming games, specifically the Vassar Invitational, which will be played in Poughkeepsie, New York on Nov. 15.
“I think the team fenced really well as a whole,” Zusin said. “We’re excited to get back to practice and work hard for our next competition at Vassar College.”