2015 Brandeis Invitational

WALTHAM, MA – The Johns Hopkins women's fencing team picked up their first two wins of the season on Sunday, defeating Boston College and MIT at the annual Brandeis Invitational. The Blue Jays are now 2-8 on the season as they head into the holiday break. Sophomore Katharine Couch picked up 150th career win in the Foil to highlight the day.

How it Happened
• Hopkins dropped a tough 14-13 decision to host Brandeis in the first round, despite wins in the Sabre (5-4) and Epee (7-2) for the Blue Jays. Junior Isabella So led the Blue Jays in the Sabre, winning all three of her bouts, and securing the win in the ninth and final bout. Junior Rachel Viqueira picked up Hopkins' lone win in the Foil while freshman Celine Shanosky won her three bouts in the Epee.
• Hopkins turned the tables in round two, pulling out a 14-13 win over Boston College, with a win in the Sabre (7-2). So once again swept her round in the Sabre, leading Hopkins to the win. The Eagles beat the Blue Jays, 6-3, in the Foil with freshman Rebecca Rosenthal winning two of her three bouts for JHU. And in the Epee, BC edged JHU with Couch and sophomore Charlotte Green combining for all four Hopkins' wins.
• Brown then handed Hopkins an 18-9 loss with the Bears sweeping all three weapons. Freshman Shiaomeng Tse won two of her bouts in a 6-3 loss in the Sabre. Viqueira grabbed both of the Blue Jays' wins in the Foil and in the Sabre, Green swept her round in a close 5-4 loss.
• Hopkins picked up win number two with a 14-13 victory over MIT, with one-point wins in the Sabre and Foil. Tse won all three of her bouts and clinched the win in the Sabre for the Blue Jays. The Foil saw Viqueira and Rosenthal each win two and Viqueira secured the win in the ninth bout. The Engineers grabbed a 5-4 win in the Epee, with Couch earning win number 150 for her career.
• The Blue Jays ended the day with a 15-12 loss to the Yale Bulldogs. So and Tse each won a bout in a 7-2 loss in the Sabre. Rosenthal, Viqueira and freshman Lior Levy combined for the Blue Jays' three wins in a 6-3 loss in the Foil. Shanosky and sophomore Nastasia Winey won three bouts each as Hopkins won the Epee, 7-2.

What it Means
• Johns Hopkins is now 6-2 all-time against Boston College and earned its first win in the series since 2013.
• Hopkins evened the series record with MIT, 4-4, picking up the first win over the Engineers since 2013.
• Sophomore Katharine Couch earned her 150th career win and now ranks fourth all-time with 152 wins. She is just one shy of tying Komal Kumar for third in school history.

The Records
• EPEE 26-19
Katherine Couch 8-7
Charlotte Green 6-3
Celine Shanosky 6-6
Nastasia Winey 6-3

• FOIL 14-31
Elizabeth Konopacki 0-2
Lior Levy 2-11
Rebecca Rosenthal 5-10
Rachel Viqueira 7-8

• SABRE 22-23
Kathleen Demaria 0-3
Isabella So 9-3
Shiaomeng Tse 9-6
Maggie Vitale 4-11

Up Next
• Johns Hopkins is back in action on January 23 at the Philadelphia Invitational.