Jan. 21, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, PA - The Johns Hopkins women's fencing team (6-1) won all four of its matches at the Philadelphia Invitational Saturday. The Blue Jays earned wins over Sacred Heart, Haverford, Fairleigh Dickinson and Rutgers.

In Hopkins' 16-11 win over Sacred Heart, the Blue Jays opened with an 8-1 win in the Foil. That win propelled Hopkins to a win in the match despite losing in the Sabre (5-4) and the Epee (5-4). Freshman Sam Dolan (S. Pasadena, CA/S. Pasadena) and sophomore Grace Fried (Forest Hills, NY/Stuyvesant) swept all three of their bouts to lead Hopkins. Freshman Katie Kim (Garden City, NY/Garden City) swept both of her bouts.

Hopkins then defeated host Haverford 17-10. Again it was a dominating performance in the Foil (9-0) that led the Blue Jays to a win in the match. Hopkins won a close match in the Sabre (5-4) before falling 6-3 in the Epee. Once again, Dolan, Fried and Kim swept their bouts in the Foil. In the Sabre, sophomores Alla Brafman (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) and Erica Hartmann (Silver Spring, MD/Montgomery Blair) each won two of their bouts to lead the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays next defeated Fairleigh Dickinson, winning 17-10. A shut-out win in the Sabre (9-0) and another dominating performance in the Foil (6-3) were the keys to the win. Brafman, Hartmann and senior Sarah Smilow (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown) all swept their bouts in the Sabre.

Hopkins closed out the invitational with a 14-13 win over Rutgers. Once again, the Blue Jays dominated in the Foil with a 9-0 win. A close 5-4 win in the Sabre was enough to overcome a 9-0 loss in the Epee for the Blue Jays. Hartmann won all three of her bouts to lead the Blue Jays to a win in the Sabre.

The Blue Jays return to action at the Temple Invitational on February 4.