2016 Elite Invitational

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The Johns Hopkins women's fencing team faced a tough slate at the 2016 Elite Invitational on Saturday in Philadelphia. Three of the Blue Jays' opponents were ranked in last season's final poll, while the other three were receiving votes. Senior Katherine Couch hit a personal milestone as she picked up her 200th career win.

How it Happened
? Johns Hopkins opened the day with an 18-9 loss to Northwestern, ranked seventh in last season's final poll. The Foil squad went 3-6 with sophomore Rebecca Rosenthal picking up two of those wins. The Epee squad finished with a 2-7 record as seniors Katherine Couch and Nastasia Winey each grabbed a win. In the Sabre, the Blue Jays dropped a tough 5-4 decision with freshman Alicja Tomaszewski earning a pair of wins.
? Hopkins then fell to North Carolina, 19-8, in the next round. The Foil team went 0-9 against the Tar Heels. UNC edged out the Epee and Sabre teams by identical 5-4 scores to secure the win. Freshman Mailys Vignoud and Tomaszewski led each team with two wins apiece.
? In the third round, Hopkins lost to Princeton, 23-4, which was ranked fourth at the end of last season. The Foil team went 0-9 while the Epee and Sabre teams went 2-7 each. Vignoud, Tomaszewski, and sophomores Celine Shanoksy and Maggie Vitale each won one bout for the Blue Jays.
? Next up Hopkins fell to host Penn, 20-7. Rosenthal picked up JHU's lone win in the Foil against the Quakers. The Epee squad earned a 5-4 win, led by Vignoud, who won all three of her bouts. In the Sabre, freshman Erin Chen grabbed the Jays' only win.
? The Blue Jays then lost to the Owls of Temple, ranked ninth at the end of last season. Temple swept the three weapons to win 21-6. Junior Elizabeth Konopacki and freshman Katherine Xiang each won a bout for JHU in the Foil. Vignoud, Couch and Winey all won one in the Epee and Tomaszewski picked up one win in the Sabre.
? Hopkins closed out the day with a tough 19-8 loss to Yale. Xiang won the lone point for the Blue Jays in the Foil. Vignoud meanwhile led the Epee squad with a pair of wins in the 6-3 loss. In the Sabre, Chen led the Blue Jays with a pair of wins in a hard-fought 5-4 loss.

What it Means
? Senior Katherine Couch earned her 200th career win in her win over Temple. She is just the third Epeeist and ninth overall fencer to reach the milestone. She is just eight wins shy of moving into a tie for second place in Epee wins in JHU history.
? Senior Nastasia Winey needs just seven wins to earn the 100th of her career. She now ranks ninth in school history with 93 career Epee wins.
? Sophomore Shiaomeng Tse finishes the weekend with 59 career Sabre wins and now needs just one to move into a tie for 10th in program history.

The Records
? Foil squad ? 7-47
Jenny Chong ? 0-10
Elizabeth Konopacki ? 1-15
Rebecca Rosenthal ? 3-10
Katherine Xiang ? 3-12

? Epee squad ? 19-35
Shivani Bisen ? 0-3
Katherine Couch ? 3-12
Celine Shanosky ? 3-10
Mailys Vignoud ? 9-6
Nastasia Winey ? 4-4

? Sabre squad ? 16-38
Erin Chen ? 5-10
Natalie Martinez ? 0-8
Alicja Tomaszewski ? 7-8
Shiaomeng Tse ? 3-8
Maggie Vitale ? 1-4

Up Next
? Johns Hopkins returns to action on Friday, November 18 at the Columbia Invitational.