Feb. 7, 2004

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland State men's and women's fencing teams hosted the CSU Open on Saturday in the Convocation Center Annex. The men's squad posted a 2-2 mark, as tournament MVP Mike Merker propelled the Vikings past Michigan State and Detroit, while the women's team dropped all four of its matches. Other participating schools in the all-day event included Bowling Green, Case Western Reserve, Michigan, Ohio State and Wayne State.

Merker (Neshanic Station, N.J./Somerville), a freshman, went 11-1 on the day to earn the Open's top honors. Senior captain Tim Levar (Wickliffe, Ohio/Lake Catholic) was 9-2, including a win over All-American Wojciech Dudek from Wayne State. In addition, first year fencers Tom Kotula (Euclid, Ohio/Euclid) and Shariah Pratt (Wickliffe, Ohio/Wickliffe) each went 6-6.

Cleveland State is in action again when the Vikings head to the Midwest Conference Championships on March 6-7 at Notre Dame.

vs. Michigan
Men L, 6-21
Women L, 7-20
Men's Epee
Levar 2-1
Kreiger 0-3
Banks 0-3
Women's Epee
Visnjic-Flaherty 0-3
Marvinney,P 1-2
Pratt, Shariah 2-1
Men's Foil
Kulma 0-3
Kotula 0-3
Merker 2-1
Women's Foil
Marvinney,J 2-1
Mick 1-2
Men's Saber
Leonard 2-1
Jacobs 0-3
Women's Saber
Zassick 0-3
Shilah Pratt 0-3
Kowalski 1-2

vs. Michigan State
Men W, 14-13
Women L, 6-21
Men's Epee
Levar 3-0
Kreiger 3-0
Banks 1-2
Women's Epee
Visnjic-Flaherty 0-3
Marvinney,P 1-2
Pratt, Shariah 1-2
Men's Foil
Kulma 0-3
Kotula 1-2
Merker 3-0
Women's Foil
Marvinney,J 0-3
Mick 1-2
Men's Saber
Leonard 2-1
Jacobs 1-2
Women's Saber
Zassick 1-2
Shilah Pratt 1-2
Kowalski 1-2

vs. Detroit
Men W, 17-9
Women L, 11-16
Men's Epee
Levar 3-0
Kreiger 2-1
Banks 1-2
Women's Epee
Visnjic-Flaherty 2-1
Marvinney,P 1-2
Pratt, Shariah 2-1
Men's Foil
Kulma 3-0
Kotula 2-1
Merker 3-0
Women's Foil
Marvinney,J 2-1
Mick 0-3
Men's Saber
Leonard 1-2
Jacobs 2-1
Women's Saber
Zassick 2-1
Pratt 1-2
Kowalski 1-2

vs. Wayne State
Men L, 9-17
Women L, 8-19
Men's Epee
Levar 2-1
Kreiger 1-2
Banks 0-3
Women's Epee
Visnjic-Flaherty 1-2
Marvinney,P 1-2
Pratt, Shariah 1-2
Men's Foil
Kulma 0-3
Kotula 3-0
Merker 3-0
Women's Foil
Marvinney,J 1-2
Mick 1-2
Men's Saber
Leonard 0-3
Jacobs 0-3
Women's Saber
Zassick 1-2
Pratt 1-2
Kowalski 1-2