Six Penn State fencers turned in strong performances at the Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs, Colo., last weekend, but all of them fell short of qualifying for a select national team.

Freshman fencers Stephen Flores, Katie Kowalski, Lisa Posthumus, Suzanne Paxton and sophomores Chris Rueter and Janet Rossman made the trip for the under-20 competition, which was the last opportunity for individual fencers to qualify for the competitive United States Junior National Team.

The four-day event, which began last Friday at the Air Force Academy, drew a total field of 600 competitors.

Posthumus finished third in women's epee, a division that is established nationally, although epee is not yet fenced by women at the collegiate level.

Posthumus had gained points at an earlier Chicago circuit event as well, but missed making the national team when she was denied points she thought she had earned by finishing first at a junior circuit held at Penn State.

"You accumulate points to make the team," she explained, "but (points) for my first-place finish were taken away because there weren't enough people competing at the Penn State circuit."

Posthumus did double-duty, also fencing women's foil, where she led Penn State entrees with a fifth-place finish in a field of more than 100 women fencers. Janet Rossman and Katie Kowalski also had top eight, point-getting performances, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively. Suzanne Paxton recorded her best junior circuit result by earning her way into the direct elimination rounds.

"We're disappointed with the placing, but we're happy because it's the best we've ever done," Kowalski said while speaking of finishes by her, Rossman and Posthumus.

"It's the first time we broke into the top eight, but we know we should have done better. We should have been in the top four."

On the men's side, Chris Reuter gained points with a seventh-place sabre finish in his first national tournament.

"Chris looked good," Assistant Coach Wes Glon said. "He fenced well against some big names, and we will expect more from him in the future."

Stephen Flores finished in the top 40 of the men's foil field, but below his capabilities, Glon said. Flores, along with Kowalski, Posthumus and Paxton, will all have another shot at the under-20 Junior National Team next year.

Glon said the Junior Olympic event is gaining popularity, and that the quality of this year's field was better than previous years.