By wpengine
The fencing team will face stiff competition at Yale University and the Dickinson College Holiday Invitational this weekend. The Red will travel to New Haven, Conn., for its second Ivy League matchup tomorrow. Cornell fell to Harvard last weekend and currently has an 0-1 record in Ivy League action. This weekend will be the first match of the season for most Ivy League teams. “[Yale is] very, very tough,” said coach Al Peters. “They are one of the Ivy League powerhouses. I’m very excited about the prospect of going up against [Yale].” To regroup from the Harvard loss and prepare for Yale, the fencers have been running through individual lessons, tactical drills, and group workouts in practices this week. “We fenced very strongly,” Peters said of the disappointing loss last weekend. He added that the key to a better showing this weekend will be refocusing the foil competitors. The Red did not win a single match in that weapon against Harvard. On Sunday, the Red will move on to Dickinson College, located in Carlisle, Penn. This tournament is put on by the National Intercollegiate Women’s Fencing Association. It will feature individual competition rather than team rankings. Up to two dozen squads are expected to compete. This will be the Red’s last competition of the fall semester. The team will not compete over the break. Instead, it will focus on resting and recuperating from the fall semester. Athletes will be expected to stay fit, keep their minds sharp, and get lots of rest over the break. Most will be practicing with club teams in their home areas or working on conditioning. The Red will return to action on Jan. 25, when the team will head to Vassar for a match. Before vacation, however, the Red must stay focused on the tough competition it will face this weekend. “[The Ivy League] does not have a clear leader yet,” Peters said. The performance of the Red this weekend could change that. Archived article by Olivia Dwyer
By wpengine
The Red equestrian team hosts its final competition of the fall semester this Sunday. The team’s win over rival Skidmore last weekend gave the Red a tenuous claim to first place in the regional standings. On Sunday, the team will attempt to increase its one-point lead and distance itself from the competition. “We don’t want to get complacent,” said head coach Chris Mitchell. “We are leading the region by one point. This show is very important.” Mitchell is confident that the Red will be able to perform under pressure. He says that athletes are aware of the importance of this competition, but have been able to focus in practice. “From what I’ve seen in practice,” he said, “they’re aware of it, but not worried about it.” Of all the teams Mitchell has coached, he believes this year’s group has the greatest potential. “I have what I would consider a national team,” Mitchell said. He believes that this group of riders has the ability to qualify for the national competition and succeed at that level. “I think this year, we are letting it be known that we are a national contender,” he added. Of its three competitions this fall, the Red has won two shows and earned second place in the other. A more personal rivalry will play out on Sunday as well. Jamie Jansen, a senior rider for Skidmore, is in first place in the competition for the Cacchione Cup. This is an award given to the individual athlete that earns the most points in regional competition. Cornell sophomore Asta Torokvei is in second place, four points behind Jansen, and junior Erica Rosen trails Jansen by nine points in fourth place. “[Jansen] is very good. She is the one to beat,” Mitchell said. “[But] any of my Open riders could beat her. They have proven they’re the strongest in our division this year.” If all goes according to plan for the Red, either Torokvei or Rosen will claim the top spot in the individual points category, and the team will increase its overall lead in the region. “Everyone’s riding wonderfully,” Mitchell said. “We’re very excited for our home show, our last show of the season.”Archived article by Olivia Dwyer