MADISON, N.J. – Junior Norah Vaughan (Hope Hull, Ala.) posted a dominant 16-3 record in seven bouts in the Wheaton College (Mass.) women's fencing team's first seven matches in its season opener today at the Drew Invitational at Drew University's Simon Forum and Athletic Center in Madison, N.J.
The Lyons tallied more points in school history in three of their seven matches. Wheaton tallied its highest score in a 14-13 defeat to University of Detroit Mercy. Wheaton fell to New Jersey Institute of Technology, 20-7, and Drew University 21-6. The Lyons were defeated by Cleveland State University and Lawrence University by scores of 22-5 and No. 5 Denison University and Wayne State University each came away with 23-4 wins over Wheaton.
Vaughan won at least two of three bouts in every match the Blue and White competed in throughout the day.
Vaughan won two of her three bouts in foil competition against Cleveland State University with a 5-1 win over junior Anna Quinn (Corvallis, Ore.) and a 5-2 triumph over junior Evelyn Malvestuto (Homewood, Ill.). The Lyons also picked up two points in the match due to forfeits in epee.
Vaughan recorded 5-1 and 5-2 wins against Denison as well, defeating first year Mya Hernandez (Ponce, P.R.) and junior Elly Kennedy (Granville, Ohio), respectively in foil. Wheaton junior Valerie Oginsky (Lawrenceville, N.J.) picked up a victory in epee with a 5-3 decision over sophomore Adeline DePauw (Traverse City, Mich). First year Anastasia Komarow (Dubai, U.A.E.) earned her first collegiate win over first year Arya Telci (Mound, Minn.) in epee with a 5-3 result.
The Lyons set a new school mark for points in a match for the first of three times on the day with three wins in foil and three more in epee. Vaughan was unblemished against Drew and surrendered just one point in three bouts. She dropped just one point to junior Tala Varoqua (Wayne, N.J.), before blanking both first year Elise Lemasters (Delaware, Ohio) and junior Filiz Erdogan (Kadikoy, Turkey). Komarow (5-1), Oginsky (5-4) and first year Abby Frankel (Fairfield, Conn.) (5-4) all picked up a win each at epee over junior Alisha Bourhill-Tumser (Wanaque, N.J.).
Vaughan posted her second straight undefeated showing with three wins in foil against NJIT. She blanked senior Randa Shalabi (Paterson, N.J.), 5-0, before taking down first year Jazmin Sperka (Pilisborosjeno, Hungary), 5-2. The junior nipped senior Stella Frias (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 5-4. First year Peyton Labadie (Norwood, Mass.) recorded her first collegiate win with a 5-4 effort against Shalabi. Komarow won two of three bouts for Wheaton with a 5-3 win over junior Zoey Wen (Mahwah, N.J.) and a 5-2 victory over first year Arianna Marrero (Newark, N.J.). Frankel tallied her second win at the college level with a 5-3 showing over Marrero.
The Lyons picked up six forfeit wins in foil and a 5-0 victory from Vaughan in her only bout against Detroit Mercy first year Violet Culp. Wheaton was also rewarded six more forfeit wins in epee, but fell short of its first win in school history.
Wheaton's only two wins at foil against Wayne State came from Vaughan. She defeated senior Noreen Bongado (Farmington Hills, Mich.), 5-0, and first year June Campbell (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), 5-1. Komarow and Oginsky both earned a win in epee for the Lyons by the same score of 5-3 over first year Hafsa Marzouk (Chicago, Ill.).
Vaughan closed out the day with three more wins against Lawrence in foil. The junior defeated sophomore Mathilda Reiff (Denver, Colo.) and first year Lucy Hoogstra (Oak Brook, Ill.) by a score of 5-2 in addition to a 5-4 decision over junior Hannah Bugeja (Gulfview Heights, Australia). Komarow won two of three bouts to give her seven wins on the day for Wheaton. She defeated sophomore Trinity Cowles (Tinley Park, Ill.), 5-3, and sophomore Charly Stommel-Diaz (Los Angeles, Calif.), 5-4, in epee.
The Lyons return to action tomorrow for the second day of the Drew Invitational against Lawrence at 9:00 a.m.
