WALTHAM, Mass. – The Brandeis University men's and women's fencing teams went a combined 8-3 at the first Northeast Fencing Conference meet of the 2011-12 season on Saturday at the University of New Hampshire. The teams swept Boston University (Men, 26-1; Women, 21-6), Massachusetts (M, 23-4; W, 21-6) and New Hampshire (M, 20-7; W, 18-9). The women also posted a 15-12 win over Wellesley College. Against MIT, the men pulled out a 14-13 win while the women suffered a 9-18 loss. Both teams fell to Sacred Heart (M, 8-19; W, 9-18).

      On the women's side, junior Vikki Nunley (Glen Gardner, N.J./Voorhees) led the way, going 16-1 in the foil. Nunley went 3-0 in against BU, UNH, Wellesley and MIT. Nunley was also 2-0 against Massachusetts and 2-1 against Sacred Heart for her only loss of the weekend. In the narrow 15-12 win over Wellesley, Brandeis's winning point was earned by senior epeeEmily Mandel (White Plains, N.Y./The Masters School), one of just two wins on the day for the older sister of Adam. Other fine performers for the women included junior Zoe Messinger (Short Hills, N.J./Millburn), who went 14-3 in the saber, and sophomore epee Kristen Ha (Bronx, N.Y./Riverdale CDS), who was 13-5 in the epee.

      Individually, the men were led by rookie saberist Adam Mandel (White Plains, N.Y./The Masters School) and sophomore foil Julian Cardillo (Medford, Mass./St. Johns Prep). Mandel posted an 11-0 record, while Cardillo was 14-1. Cardillo accounted for the foil squad's only two victories against MIT, but they made a big difference in the one-point win. The clinching point for the Judges against the Engineers was won by senior epee fencer Alex Powell (Upper Montclair, N.J./Montclair), who earned a 5-4 victory. Powell finished the day with a 9-3 record to lead the epee squad.

      The Judges return to action on December 4 with the 2011 Brandeis Invitational, starting at 9 a.m. in the Gosman Athletic Center. The Judges will face top teams from Brown, Cornell, St. John's and Yale in that meet.