After three successful tournaments thus far in the 2004-05 season, the UCSD men’s and women’s fencing teams are on pace to take top honors in the Intercollegiate Fencing Conference of Southern California. UCSD duelers controlled their competition throughout the Oct. 24 Collegiate Open hosted by UC Irvine and again at the IFCSC Tournament at Cal Tech in Pasadena, Calif., on Nov. 6, where both teams shut down opposition from the University of Southern California, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine. Returning home to RIMAC Arena on Nov. 14, the Tritons beat Cal Tech and conference rival Cal State Fullerton in what came down to a last-bout effort for the men’s team.
“I think that [the men’s team] can win conference again, and the women can take first, too,” epeeist and team captain Tim Tibbs said. The Triton men’s and women’s teams had a tremendous 2003-04 season, capping the year off with first- and second-place finishes, respectively, in the IFCSC before moving on to the Western Region Championships. There, the women’s team earned second-place awards, while the men finished in third, both out of a five-team field.
“It’s a really young team, but we have a great epée team, a strong foil team, and our sabres look pretty strong, too,” Tibbs said.
In fencing, athletes are divided into three categories for competition: sabre, epee and foil. The classes are distinguished by the type of blade and what kind of hits award points. In a sabre bout, challengers score by striking or slashing anywhere above the waist of the other dueler, including the head. Foil athletes are slightly more restricted, and only generate points with hits to the torso and back, using only the tip of the weapon. Epeeists have more to protect than either sabres or foils, as points can be awarded for thrusts to any part of a dueler, including extremities.
Scoring points in fencing is based on a first-to-five-points system, unless neither dueler has reached five after the regulation three-minute bout, in which case the higher score wins or there is a one-minute, sudden-death tiebreaker in the case of an even score. Points are awarded for each legal touch against an opponent. After each bout, the winner earns a point toward his or her team score. A team wins a competition by reaching 14 points.
In the Nov. 6 IFCSC Tournament, the Tritons dominated each of the four opposing teams present, the closest match of the day being the 23-6 blowout between the Triton women and UC Santa Barbara. The women defeated USC, 24-5, then UCLA and UC Irvine in 24-3 matches. Freshman epeeist Chelsea Ambort was the sole female representative from UCSD to finish the tournament undefeated.
Meanwhile, the men’s team rolled through the tournament, first dropping USC and UCLA, each by a 22-5 differential, before taking down UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine, 25-2 and 24-3, respectively. The men’s sabre team shut out all opponents as Bret Martin, Jason Runyan and Adam Qwan were unstoppable for the Tritons.
Although the teams that UCSD faced at the IFCSC Tournament are not generally thought of as major competition, the event suggests that both Triton teams are closing in on the conference championships, thus opening the door for a stronger performance at Regionals and later at Nationals.
“I think that we can send four people to Nationals this year,” Tibbs said.
In the 2003-04 season, Martin was the only UCSD fencer to earn a berth at the national level after claiming one of two wild card entries following a dynamic performance at the regional event.
In the Nov. 14 competition, the Triton women led the way by controlling each of their matches, 18-9, prolonging their undefeated status.
While the men’s team dismissed Cal Tech, 24-3, it struggled to overcome rival Cal State Fullerton. Ultimately, the match came down to a few individual bouts in which the Tritons had to hold their ground.
Epeeist Kevin Watt won a key bout against Titan No. 1 dueler Otra Olver in an upset that bolstered his team’s confidence and helped the Tritons establish an unexpected advantage.
In the final bout of the match, the Tritons and Titans were deadlocked at 13 as UCSD epeeist David Polakoski stepped onto the strip.
[Polakoski] wasn’t the anchor,” Tibbs said. “He was our first man, so we expected him to do pretty well.”
Tibbs’ confidence in his teammate paid off as Polakoski earned the match, 5-3, taking the win for the Tritons.
Martin finished the day undefeated at 6-0. His performance was complemented by Tibbs and Runyan on the men’s side, both ending the day 5-1.
“Right now, [Martin], [Runyan] and I have the highest first-place potential,” Tibbs said. “I’m one bout behind first place in the IFCSC. I’m dominating the conference.”
The fencing season, which extends through the March 20 NCAA Championship, is still young, and the athletes have a long way between where they stand now and Nationals, but their optimism is encouraging.
“I think that we have the strength and unity as a team to send a lot of people to Nationals and to take this conference by storm,” Tibbs said.
The Tritons return to the floor for the UCSD Open on Nov. 21 at RIMAC Arena.
— Page 16 photograph by Billy Wong.