WALTHAM, Mass. -- The Brandeis women's fencing team earned a trio of narrow victories today and were just one touch away from going undefeated today in the Gosman Athletic Center at the Brandeis Invitational. All three weapons had their chance to shine as the Judges defeated Ivy League schools Cornell and Brown and traditional powerhouse St. John's University by 14-13 scores. Their only loss came at the hands of another Ivy League school Yale, also by a 14-13 margin. Brandeis's record is now 11-2 on the season.

In two of their three wins, the Judges only won in one weapon, but by a large enough margin to offset the other two losses. In their opener on the day, Brandeis defeated Cornell in the only match with two squad wins. The saber squad, led by sophomores Alex Turner (Lebanon, N.J./Hunterdon Central) and Anna Hanley (Medford, Mass./Lexington Christian, who each went 3-0, earned an 8-1 victory.

In their second match against Brown, it was a 7-2 record by the epee squad that led to victory. Sophomore Emma Larkin (Montclair, N.J./Montclair-Kimberly) went undefeated at 3-0 in the match, while senior Caitlin Kozel (Jamestown, R.I./Lincoln School) went 2-1, including a dramatic 5-4 win in the deciding bout.

Kozel couldn't pull out similar heroics in a 14-13 loss to Yale in the afternoon's third match, dropping a 5-1 decision at the end. The saber squad went 6-3, including a 3-0 record by Hanley to lead the Judges.

In the final match of the day, it was the foil squad's turn to shine, going 8-1 against St. John's in the only squad win. Senior Jessica Newhall (E. Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth) and sophomore Alex Dalrymple (New York, N.Y./LaGuardia) each went 3-0, while senior captain Jessica Davis-Heim (Barrington, R.I./Barrington) was 2-1. Newhall blanked her opponent, 5-0, in the last bout in what proved to be the match clincher.

BRANDEIS 14, Cornell 13 (S, 8-1; F, 1-8; E, 5-4)
BRANDEIS 14, Brown 13 (S, 3-6; F, 4-5; E, 7-2)
BRANDEIS 14, St. John's 13 (S, 2-7; F, 8-1; E, 4-5)
Yale 14, BRANDEIS 13 (S, 3-6; F, 6-3; E, 5-4)

BC 15, Cornell 12 (S, 8-1; F, 3-6; E, 4-5)
Brown 16, BC 11 (S, 8-1; F, 4-5; E, 4-5)
Brown 16, MIT 11 (S, 5-4; F, 5-4; E, 6-3)
MIT 16, Cornell 11 (S, 9-0; F, 4-5; E, 3-6)
St. John's 19, BC 8 (S, 8-1; F, 4-5; E, 7-2)
St. John's 17, Brown 10 (S, 7-2; F, 2-7; E, 8-1)
St. John's 19, Cornell 9 (S, 8-1; F, 3-6; E, 7-2)
St. John's 14, MIT 13 (S, 8-1; F, 1-8; E, 5-4)
St. John's 16, Yale 11 (S, 7-2; F, 4-5; E, 5-4)
Yale 17, BC 10 (S, 6-3; F, 5-4; E, 6-3)
Yale 16, MIT 11 (S, 3-6; F, 5-4; E, 8-1)