A select group of fencers from Notre Dame traveled as individuals in connection with their club teams to compete in the Junior North American Cup. The four-day event consists of different age groups and levels of competition, but so far the Irish fencers have had a great impact in the tournament.
The highlight of the event so far was freshman epee Catherine Lee winning the Junior Women's Epee tournament Saturday afternoon. There were 175 fencers in the field, and Lee methodically defeated her opponents. In the pool play, Lee placed second in her group, going 5-1 and earning 28 points. As the number of fencers dwindled down, Lee continued to pick up momentum up to the final bout, where she defeated Audrey Yun in the championship 15-10.
It was a great moment for Lee, as she was able to fence near her hometown of Elizabethtown, Ky., where the event was held and where her club team, the Louisville Fencing Center, resides.
The Irish were also represented in Louisville by two male fencers with the epee weapon. Freshmen epee John Poremski and Garrett McGrath placed in the top fourth of the field for the Junior Men's event on Saturday. Poremski was able to place 53rd out of more than 250 competitors. Not far behind was McGrath, who placed in 65th. Overall, the men and women have gained valuable experience that will be useful when they begin to compete in school tournaments against top programs.
Monday morning at 8 a.m., freshman saber John Hallsten will compete in the Junior Men's Saber tournament. Hallsten is the last of the Notre Dame fencers to compete before getting back to prepare for the upcoming Saint John's and New York University Invitationals on January 26 and January 27, respectively.
