Men go 4-1 at second NFC meet at home; women go 1-4

Ben Rogak high-fives a teammate (Photo by Sportspix.com before current mask rules were in effect)
Ben Rogak high-fives a teammate (Photo by Sportspix.com before current mask rules were in effect)
Posted: Jan 22, 2022

WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's fencing team posted a 4-1 record today, winning their final four matches, including the team's first win over Boston College under head coach Jennie Salmon, at the second of three Northeast Fencing Conference meets of the season. The Brandeis women went 1-4 on the day as they fenced a little bit shorthanded.

The day opened with a round against one of the Judges' top rivals, MIT. The men suffered their only loss of the day, 16-11, while the women dropped a heartbreaker by a 14-13 score despite a 7-2 win by the foil squad.

In round 2, the men edged Brown, 14-13, with a 7-2 win by saber and 5-4 by epee. The women dropped a 22-5 decision. Against club teams from Dartmouth in round 3, the men rolled, 22-5, while the women earned their only win, 17-8. The unusual score on the women's side was due to Brandeis fencing with just two competitors in saber, while the Big Green had just one.

In round 4, the men eased past Vassar, 21-6, while the women suffered a 16-11 loss despite another saber win, 6-3.

The day ended with a terrific win for the Judges over BC, 16-11. The epee squad completed a 4-1 day with a 7-2 win, while the foil squad went 5-4 to edge the Eagles. The women suffered a 19-8 defeat at the hands of BC.

Individually, men's saber and epee each went 4-1 on the day, while women's saber had two valiant wins for the women despite having just two fencers. Junior Ben Rogak (East Setauket, N.Y. / Ward-Melville) led the men's side with an 8-1 record, going 3-0 against BC and picking up two wins each against MIT and Brown and one against Vassar. First-year squad-mate Tal Kronrod (Concord, Mass. / Concord Carlisle) went 7-2 on the afternoon, going 2-1 against MIT and BC, 2-0 against Brown and 1-0 against Vassar. First-year Tony Escueta (Grand Prairie, Texas / Abeka Home School Academy) continued his fine rookie season with an 8-1 mark, going 3-0 against MIT and Vassar and 2-1 against BC. Sophomore Luke Ritchie (Baltimore, Md. / St. Paul's School) led the foil squad with a 7-5 mark.

For the women, it was junior Maggie Shealy (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill) who shined again, going 11-2, with 3-0 marks against Brown and Vassar, 2-1 against BC and MIT and 1-0 against Dartmouth. First-year Alex McKee (Nyack, N.Y. / Nyack) contributed six wins as well.

Brandeis returns to action next Sunday in Cambridge at the Eric Sollee Invitational.