DURHAM, N.C. – The Brandeis University men's fencing team won two of its three matches today, both against teams ahead of them in the United States Fencing Coaches Association polls, on the first day of action at the 2024 Duke University Invitational. The Judges, ranked #3 in Division III this season, fell to Air Force, 15-12, in their opening match, before taking down #9 Duke for the second-straight match this season, 14-13, and then defeating Johns Hopkins, ranked #12 overall and #2 in Division III, also by a 14-13 score.

OVERALL SCORES
Air Force 15, Brandeis 12 (Sabre 2-7; Foil 6-3; Epee 5-4)
Brandeis 14, Duke 13 (Sabre 4-5; Foil 5-4; Epee 5-4)
Brandeis 14, Johns Hopkins 13 (Sabre 5-4; Foil 5-4; Epee 4-5)

TEAM RECORD
Brandeis: 2-1 today, 16-17 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In their opening match against Air Force, the Judges led, 10-8, heading into sabre matches, but the Falcons took a 7-2 win to clinch the match. Brandeis was without 2024 Sabre Newcomer of the Year Lev BenAvram (Bethesda, Md./Charles E Smith Jewish Day School), who was competing at a Senior World Cut event in Tbilisi, Georgia, where he finished in the top 32, a personal best..
• Against Duke, the foil and epee squads both won their matches, 5-4. The sabre squad trailed, 4-2, headed into the final round of action. Senior Nick Quan (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) took his opponent to the last touch, but the Blue Devil was in first, giving the hosts a 13-12 lead.
• First-year Matthew Chaves (Durham, N.C./Durham Academy Upper School), a local product from Durham, rolled to a 5-0 victory to tie things up at 13-all, setting the stage for junior Tony Escueta (Grand Prairie, Texas/Abeka Home School Academy) to secure the 14-13 team victory with a 5-2 win.
• The Johns Hopkins match went down in a similar fashion. Foil took a 5-4 squad win, while epee dropped their by the same score, tying things at 9-all for the sabre squad. The Judges and Blue Jays were tied at 3-3 through six matches in sabre, bringing it down to the final three matches.
• Quan responded with a 5-4 win to put Brandeis ahead, 13-12, and Chaves won, 5-3, to give Brandeis their second upset in a row. Escueta lost the final match, 5-4, for the 14-13 final.

TOP INDIVIDUALS

• The foil squad were the top performers on the day, going 3-0. Senior Luke Ritchie (Baltimore, Md./St. Paul's School) was the day's top winner, going 6-2, while sophomore Michael Yerokhin (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) was 5-4.
• The epee squad was 1-2, but saw all three matches decided by a 5-4 score. Graduate student Ben Rogak (E. Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) matched Ritchie's win total, going 6-3, while junior Mark Shamis (San Jose, Calif./Leigh) was 5-4.
• Chaves posted five wins for the sabre squad, and Escueta had four.

UP NEXT

• The Brandeis women will face Air Force, #5 Duke, #1 in Division III Johns Hopkins and #9 Temple tomorrow at the Duke Invitational starting at 8 a.m. The men are now off until the NEIFC championships at MIT on Feb. 24.