MADISON, N.J. – Junior Oliver Smink (Rochester, N.Y.) posted a winning record of 8-7 over five matches to lead the Wheaton College (Mass.) men's fencing team on the second day of the Drew Invitational at Drew University's Simon Forum and Athletic Center in Madison, N.J.
The Lyons fell in all five matches on Sunday. Wheaton was defeated by Lawrence University, 17-10, to begin the day, before dropping a 20-7 decision to University of Detroit Mercy. The Lyons were silenced by No. 9 Cleveland State University, 22-5, before falling, 23-4 to No. 7 Wagner College. Wheaton wrapped the weekend with a 21-6 loss to No. 11 Johns Hopkins University.
Sophomores Jonathan Quail (Scotia, N.Y.) and Charles Pedersen (Shoreham, N.Y.) each won all three bouts against Lawrence University. Quail dominated at sabre with a pair of 5-3 wins over senior Zaky O'beid (Rowlett, Texas) and junior Carlos Garcia de la Puente (Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica). He also added a 5-2 win against first year Oscar Narut (Chicago, Ill.). Smink also defeated Obeid, 5-4, while sophomore Demani Howard (Clinton, Conn.) took down Garcia de la Puente, 5-2, in sabre. Pedersen ruled foil for Wheaton, winning all three bouts. He surrendered just one point in each bout to defeat first year Ryan Espinal (Little Falls, N.J.) and senior Will Martin (Chanhassen, Minn.). Pedersen recorded another win (5-3) over first year Hayden Flynt (El Paso, Texas). First year Adrian Fortes-Pina (North Providence, R.I.) earned a pair of wins at foil with a 5-2 triumph over Martin and a 5-3 win over Espinal for the Blue and White.
The Lyons received three forfeited points against University of Detroit Mercy at foil and Smink captured two of three bouts at sabre. Smink downed sophomore Mac Gray (Macomb, Mich.), 5-1, before disposing of Justin Mack, 5-2. Howard and Quail also earned points with a win each in sabre. Quail did not drop a point in a 5-0 win over Gray and Howard claimed victory over Gray as well with a 5-2 effort.
Taylor and Smink both won multiple bouts for Wheaton in a contest with Cleveland State. Smink cruised past first year Hunter Barrows (Chicago, Ill.), 5-1, and came away with a 5-4 win over first year Elijah Wagner (Crown Point, Ind.). Taylor won two out of three bouts at foil for the Lyons. He had little trouble with senior Sal Sorrentino (Dyer, Ind.), 5-1, and outlasted first year Amitai Gorlovitzki (New City, N.Y.), 5-4. Fortes-Pina also scored a point for Wheaton in a 5-4 showing over first year Nigel Copeland (Fairview Park, Ohio) in foil competition.
Four different fencers contributed with points against Wagner for the Lyons. Smink (5-0) and Quail (5-2) each defeated senior Theodore Huston (Chicago, Ill.) at sabre. Taylor began foil competition with a 5-3 victory over first year Jamie Da Silva (Denville, N.J.), while Pedersen nipped first year Adrian Alvarez (La Romana, D.R.), 5-4, in foil.
Wheaton finished the day by taking six points off of Johns Hopkins. Smink won two of three bouts at sabre, including a 5-2 effort over first year Cyrus Contractor (Phoenix, Ariz.) and a 5-3 win over senior Leonid Kotov (Cottonwood Heights, Utah). First year Aiden White (Bristol, R.I.) chipped in with a win in epee for the Lyons. He defeated senior Ethan Insler (Providence, R.I.), 5-2. Wheaton also received three points via forfeit from the Blue Jays.
The Lyons will spar again on Sunday, December 6 when they compete at the Clara-Mae Richards Invitational at host Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass.
