Harvard Fencing Faced Its First Challenge of the New Year at the St. John’s Super Cup

At the St. John's Super Cup this weekend, the Harvard women’s fencing team (13-3) lost to Princeton, Columbia, and Notre Dame, but earned wins against Ohio State and St. John’s. The men’s fencing team (11-5), meanwhile, finished the tournament with a 1-4 record, nabbing a win over Ohio State.

The women’s team entered the tournament with an 11-0 record and significant momentum. The men’s team, following their 17th consecutive Beanpot victory, also held a strong 10-1 season record before the tournament. However, Saturday’s matches against top-ranked Columbia, Notre Dame, and Princeton presented it with its most formidable challenge of the season.

The women’s team began the day with consecutive one-bout defeats. Harvard lost to Princeton 13-14, then recorded an identical 13-14 result against Columbia, followed by a 12-15 loss to Notre Dame. In each match, the Crimson remained competitive but failed to secure the decisive points needed for victory.

Sophomore saber fencer Madison Duckett, who finished 7-8 on the day, explained the challenges of the opening matches.

“Going into this competition, we knew Princeton, Columbia, and Notre Dame would be our toughest matchups,” Duckett said. “Saber is incredibly unpredictable due to its fast pace, and as a women’s saber squad, we understood that facing some of the strongest programs in the country would require us to bring our absolute A-game.”

Against Princeton, the women’s epee and foil squads both posted 5-4 records, but the saber squad’s 4-5 performance left Harvard just short of a victory. The Columbia match followed in a similar pattern.

“The first half had a lot of highs (strong bouts and dominant touches) but also some challenging moments that tested us as a squad, especially when it came to sustaining momentum and energy,” Duckett said. “Overall, the first half was a mix of great wins and very close, frustrating losses. Despite that, we never lost our sense of unity.”

The Crimson demonstrated resilience in its final two matches. Against Ohio State, Harvard achieved a decisive 21-6 victory, led by the women’s foil squad, which posted an 8-1 record. Freshmen Emily Jing and Lucia Zhang each posted perfect 3-0 records, as did Duckett and junior captain Isabella Chin.

“Coming into the second half of the day, we were 0-3 as a women’s team, but we didn't let that define us,” Duckett explained. “Women’s saber, along with the other weapons, responded with dominant performances against Ohio State and St. John’s, finishing both matches with 6-3 saber records. That performance speaks to our grit, resilience, and desire to win as a unit.”

The women’s team concluded with a 19-8 victory over St. John’s. Junior Jessica Zi Jia Guo achieved a 3-0 record, completing a 10-5 day. Senior Zoe Kim also posted a perfect 3-0 in saber, while Chin finished with a team-best 12-3 record.

The men’s team concluded the tournament with a 1-4 record, falling to Princeton 16-11, Columbia 17-10, Notre Dame 19-8, and St. John’s 18-9 before securing a 15-12 victory over the Buckeyes.

Sophomore Colin Heathcock, a member of Team USA’s 2024 Paris Olympic roster, led Harvard with a team-best 13-2 record in saber. Freshmen Cody Ji (8-7) and Taylor Chon (4-11) also contributed to the saber rotation throughout the day.

The men’s foil squad faced significant challenges, recording a 0-9 result against Princeton and a 2-7 result against Notre Dame. Sophomore Andrew Chen went 5-10, freshman Daniel Zhang went 6-9, and freshman Steven Miall went 0-15; all struggled to secure victories against the nation’s leading foil teams.

The men’s epee squad, led by junior captain Henry Lawson (7-8) and sophomore Nicholas Zhang (8-7), delivered the most consistent results. Against Princeton, the epee squad achieved a 6-3 record, representing one of the few weapon victories in the 11-16 loss.

Harvard’s sole victory was a 15-12 win over Ohio State. The men’s saber squad excelled with a 7-2 record, as both Heathcock and Ji went 3-0. Despite this overall success, the foil squad was still defeated 4-5.

Despite challenging results, the Crimson recorded strong individual performances. On the women’s team, Chin’s 12-3 record in epee was notable, as the junior captain achieved a perfect 3-0 mark against both Ohio State and St. John’s.

“As an undefeated team, losing is obviously difficult, especially when those losses come by such narrow margins against rival programs,” Duckett said. “Rather than viewing this meet as a major setback, we see it as an important foundation for the rest of the season.”

Next up, the Crimson will host New York University at the Malkin Athletic Center on Jan. 30.

“It’s back to the drawing board, and now we have time to reflect, improve, and prepare before we face these teams again," Duckett added.

—Staff writer Amelie N. Lima can be reached at [email protected].