The UC San Diego fencing team closed out its fall competition slate on a high note, turning in a strong performance with wins over nationally-ranked squads at the Elite Invitational. The event was hosted by Ohio State on Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5.
Overall, the Triton men, ranked ninth nationally, compiled a 5-1 record with wins over Cleveland State, Johns Hopkins, Ohio State, Penn, and Wayne State. Ohio State is ranked No. 3 and Penn is No. 7. In fact, it was the first time the UC San Diego men had ever beaten either team. Their lone loss came against Johns Hopkins in the first match-up between the two squads Saturday.
Individually, freshman
Milan Rona went 14-2 in Epee, junior
Rishi Ranadive was 9-1 in Foil, and junior
Shawn Kim compiled a 12-3 record in Saber. With just two Saber competitors instead of the customary three due to injury, UC San Diego began every match three points behind its opponent.
Kim was named UC San Diego's first-ever Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Fencer of the Week in mid-November after going 19-5 during the Western Invitational at Air Force.
On the women's side, the Tritons went 4-4, defeating Cleveland State, Denison, Johns Hopkins, and Wayne State. Their losses came against Johns Hopkins, No. 6 Northwestern, No. 5 Ohio State, and No. 10 Penn.
Senior
Julia Hill held a 18-3 mark in Saber, junior
Sarah Shen was 8-5 in Saber, junior
Joanne Luong went 11-8 in Foil, and senior
Erica Kuen was 11-9 in Foil.
UC San Diego women are receiving votes in the first national poll of the 2021-22 season.
This is UC San Diego's first season competing as a member of the MPSF. The conference announced in early August that it will begin sponsoring the sport.
------
TRITON LINEUP
Epee (M):
Brandon Chien,
Isaac Ive,
Vedran Markota,
Milan Rona
Epee (W):
Logan Daranouvong,
Tiara Kwon,
Ariane Mohabir,
Anika Soin
Foil (M):
Daman Heer,
Nathan Jeon,
Rishi Ranadive,
Lawrence Song
Foil (W):
Alex Brondum,
Alyssa De La Cruz,
Erica Kuen,
Joanne Luong
Saber (M):
Phileas Auray,
Shawn Kim
Saber (W):
Maya Desai,
Julia Hill,
Mohini Iyer,
Sarah Shen
------
WHAT HEAD COACH JUAN IGNACIO CALDERON HAD TO SAY
"It was a great way to close our fall quarter with one of our best competitions in recent years. This was the first time we received an invitation to the prestigious competition at Ohio State and we did great on the men's side, winning five out of six team matches without a complete team in saber. The first-ever wins over Ohio State and Penn under such conditions were a true testament of the progress we are making. On the women's side, we won four match-ups and lost four, which is more in line with our normal expectations. We had some very strong individual performances, particularly in Saber."
------
ELITE INVITATIONAL RESULTS
DECEMBER 4-5, 2021
COVELLI CENTER • YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO
Saturday, December 4
Men
• Johns Hopkins 14, UC San Diego 13
Epee: 3-6
Foil: 7-2
Saber: 3-6
UC San Diego 18, Cleveland State 9
Epee: 5-4
Foil: 7-2
Saber: 6-3
-
Women
• Northwestern 22, UC San Diego 5
Epee: 0-9
Foil: 1-8
Saber: 4-5
UC San Diego 24, Denison 3
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 9-0
Saber: 8-1
UC San Diego 14, Johns Hopkins 13
Epee: 4-5
Foil: 4-5
Saber: 6-3
UC San Diego 25, Cleveland State 2
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 9-0
Saber: 9-0
---
Sunday, December 5
Men
• UC San Diego 16, Penn 11
Epee: 5-4
Foil: 7-2
Saber: 4-5
• UC San Diego 14, Johns Hopkins 13
Epee: 6-3
Foil: 6-3
Saber: 2-7
UC San Diego 15, Ohio State 12
Epee: 6-3
Foil: 4-5
Saber: 5-4
UC San Diego 22, Wayne State 5
Epee: 7-2
Foil: 6-3
Saber: 9-0
-
Women
• Penn 19, UC San Diego 8
Epee: 2-7
Foil: 1-8
Saber: 5-4
• Johns Hopkins 17, UC San Diego 10
Epee: 3-6
Foil: 2-7
Saber: 5-4
Ohio State 20, UC San Diego 7
Epee: 2-7
Foil: 2-7
Saber: 3-6
UC San Diego 24, Wayne State 3
Epee: 8-1
Foil: 7-2
Saber: 9-0
------
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to action in the new year as it travels to the prestigious Northwestern Duals, which run February 5-6 in Evanston, Illinois.
------
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.
