Fencers will have undefeated status challenged

The competition level moves up a notch this weekend for the undefeated Penn State fencing team when it travels to Princeton to face the Tigers and Rutgers. Although it is only facing two teams tomorrow as compared to the five teams it fenced last week, things should be a lot tougher for the Nittany and Lady Lions.

"It's definitely higher," Lion coach Emmanuil Kaidanov said of the team's competition level tomorrow. "Rutgers is stronger than any team we fenced last weekend."

The Rutgers men's team is spearheaded by its epee squad. The Scarlet Knights have two All-Americans in John Gringieri and Paul Luciano. They could provide the toughest challenge to Penn State's unbeaten streak in every weapon. The Nittany and Lady Lions have yet to lose a weapon score this season.

"Rutgers is probably one of the stronger epee squads in the country," Nittany Lion Jeff Feinblatt said. "In the past we've done well against them, so we'll look to continue that. We'll have to perform at a higher level than last weekend to win."

The Nittany Lion foil and sabre squad shouldn't have much of a problem with the Scarlet Knights. They have young fencers on both teams.

The Rutgers women may be able to give the Lady Lions their toughest test since Notre Dame. The most interesting bout should be in women's foil, in which All-American Melissa DaSilva tangles with Lady Lion Claire Jackson.

The two first met this season at the Temple Open in November. Jackson upset DaSilva, 15-11. They faced off again later that month in the Maxwell Garret-Penn State Open with Jackson prevailing again.

"I think it will be an important match for Melissa in preparation for the NCAAs," Rutgers assistant coach Shimon Sarraf. "Claire Jackson is one of her main competitors."

Princeton enters as a decisive underdog. The Tigers have a very young squad this year with a good epee team led by Marco Acerra and Jason Burrell. Burrell has already had one battle with Feinblatt this season, in which Feinblatt defeated the Tiger, 3-5, 5-1, 5-3.

The most interesting bout should come in sabre when Penn State's Serge Lilov and Princeton's Maxim Pekarev have a rematch of last year's NCAA championship final. Lilov was edged out by Pekarev, 15-10, last year.

The women shouldn't have too much of a problem with the Tigers. They have a young team the more experienced Lady Lions should handle easily.

"It's probably a little more difficult than last weekend," Lady Lion Polo Wagner said. "I think we'll do well. We're up for it."