Saturday, November 5
USAFA
All Day
Air Force Academy
vs
Western Invitational
Air Force Fencing Completes Competition At Western Invitational
11/7/2022 8:44:00 AM | Fencing
USAF Academy, Colo. - Air Force fencing completed competition as the host site of the Western Invitational this Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 5-6, at the USAFA Intercollegiate Indoor Tennis Courts and Volleyball Courts. Facing some of the most elite college fencing programs in the nation, the Falcons came away with three team victories in head-to-head competition.
On the men's side, Air Force competed against eight opponents, with four being nationally ranked, including the nations' #2, #3 and #4 teams. The Falcons earned a 14-13 win over North Carolina.
On the women's side, Air Force competed against seven opponents, with four being nationally ranked, including three top 10 programs. The Falcons earned wins over NJIT 15-12 and Incarnate Word 19-4.
The men's team had four competitors reach double-digit bout victories on the weekend, led by freshman Omar Emara. Emara led the Falcons with 14 bout victories in men's epee.
Senior Matthew Han had 12 bout victories in men's epee. Junior Ned Maurer led the foil group with 12 wins. Freshman Jack Griffith had 11 victories in foil as well.
In the saber group freshmen William Barber and Mack Luebbe led the way with eight victories each.
On the women's side, four Falcons earned double-digit bout victories, led by junior Josie Ratzlaff and freshman Mira Vestel. Ratzlaff earned 13 bout victories in women's epee. Vestel earned 12 wins in saber.
Joining Ratzlaff and Vestel with double-digit wins were freshman Melissa Kline and sophomore Valerie Slackman. Kline earned 10 wins in foil and Slackman earned 10 win in epee.
Freshmen Shanon Luu won nine bouts in foil and Ellie Kim added seven win in epee.
Head coach Omar Elgeziry on the weekend:
"Overall, it was a successful event. Our cadets fought hard and did their best to stay focused all the way through the two long days. I'm happy with our wins yet sad with the close losses we had that we could've turned into wins. On the bright side, we are a young team with a lot of experience to gain. Nine out of our 18 starters are freshmen, so we need to trust the process and continue to build our team. We have a long season ahead of us. Go Falcons!"
The Falcons return to action Nov. 19 at the Elite Invitational, hosted by UPenn in Pennsylvania, Pa.
Air Force results at Western Invitational
Men's Head-To-Head
#3 Ohio State def. Air Force 18-9
Air Force def. North Carolina 14-13
#2 Columbia def. Air Force 21-6
NJIT def. Air Force 18-9
#12 UC San Diego def. Air Force 15-12
#4 Harvard def. Air Force 17-10
Stanford def. Air Force 16-11
Incarnate Word def. Air Force 14-13
Women's Head-To-Head
#2 Columbia def. Air Force 23-4
Air Force def. NJIT 15-12
#9 Northwestern def. Air Force 15-12
UC San Diego def. Air Force, 15-12
#4 Harvard def. Air Force 21-6
#15 Stanford def. Air Force 21-6
Air Force def. Incarnate Word 19-4
On the men's side, Air Force competed against eight opponents, with four being nationally ranked, including the nations' #2, #3 and #4 teams. The Falcons earned a 14-13 win over North Carolina.
On the women's side, Air Force competed against seven opponents, with four being nationally ranked, including three top 10 programs. The Falcons earned wins over NJIT 15-12 and Incarnate Word 19-4.
The men's team had four competitors reach double-digit bout victories on the weekend, led by freshman Omar Emara. Emara led the Falcons with 14 bout victories in men's epee.
Senior Matthew Han had 12 bout victories in men's epee. Junior Ned Maurer led the foil group with 12 wins. Freshman Jack Griffith had 11 victories in foil as well.
In the saber group freshmen William Barber and Mack Luebbe led the way with eight victories each.
On the women's side, four Falcons earned double-digit bout victories, led by junior Josie Ratzlaff and freshman Mira Vestel. Ratzlaff earned 13 bout victories in women's epee. Vestel earned 12 wins in saber.
Joining Ratzlaff and Vestel with double-digit wins were freshman Melissa Kline and sophomore Valerie Slackman. Kline earned 10 wins in foil and Slackman earned 10 win in epee.
Freshmen Shanon Luu won nine bouts in foil and Ellie Kim added seven win in epee.
Head coach Omar Elgeziry on the weekend:
"Overall, it was a successful event. Our cadets fought hard and did their best to stay focused all the way through the two long days. I'm happy with our wins yet sad with the close losses we had that we could've turned into wins. On the bright side, we are a young team with a lot of experience to gain. Nine out of our 18 starters are freshmen, so we need to trust the process and continue to build our team. We have a long season ahead of us. Go Falcons!"
The Falcons return to action Nov. 19 at the Elite Invitational, hosted by UPenn in Pennsylvania, Pa.
Air Force results at Western Invitational
Men's Head-To-Head
#3 Ohio State def. Air Force 18-9
Air Force def. North Carolina 14-13
#2 Columbia def. Air Force 21-6
NJIT def. Air Force 18-9
#12 UC San Diego def. Air Force 15-12
#4 Harvard def. Air Force 17-10
Stanford def. Air Force 16-11
Incarnate Word def. Air Force 14-13
Women's Head-To-Head
#2 Columbia def. Air Force 23-4
Air Force def. NJIT 15-12
#9 Northwestern def. Air Force 15-12
UC San Diego def. Air Force, 15-12
#4 Harvard def. Air Force 21-6
#15 Stanford def. Air Force 21-6
Air Force def. Incarnate Word 19-4
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