The women's team earned its two victories by edging out Case Western and Detroit, 11-10 and 8-6 respectively. Seniors Marta Roseli (Padua, Italy/Liceo Classico Tito Livio) and Marilena Morariu (Fairview Park, Ohio/Fairview) led the Viking women, going a combined 17-3 in foil competition. Sophomore Joy Visnjic-Flaherty (Parma Heights, Ohio/Valley Forge) finished 6-3 in epee while junior Zaidat Bombata (Lakewood, Ohio/East Tech) contributed a 5-2 record as the lone CSU sabre representative.
The only Viking defeat came at the hands of a dominant Wayne State program, which finished 3-0 as a team. The Warriors also posted a 55-8 record in individual competition thanks in part to 9-0 performances by Melanie Duda, Inga Wallrabenstein, and Anna Vinnikov.
The Case Western Spartans finished the Invitational 1-2, while the Titans went 0-3.
The men's squad completed the tournament with two victories as well, coming by way of a 15-12 win over Case Western and an 18-8 defeat of Detroit. The sabre squad, led by sophomore Daniel Genzer (Cherry Hill, N.Y./Cherry Hill East) and junior Joe Costanzo (Lyndhurst, Ohio/Charles F. Brush) finished 16-2 against those two teams. Genzer posted an 8-1 overall record while Costanzo finished 6-3.
Sophomore Eric McConkey (Salina, Kan./Salina South) also fared well for CSU, going 8-1 in foil competition, and junior Edward Kosek (Cleveland, Ohio/South) led the epee team with a 6-3 mark.
As with the women's squad, Wayne State proved to be the Viking's spoiler. The Warriors finishing 3-0 as a team and had four fencers finish at 8-1. Daniel Genzer was a bright spot for CSU, however, handing senior Jakub Krochmalski his only defeat of the invitational with a 5-4 sabre win.
Case finished with a 1-2 record in the tournament. Detroit went winless at 0-3.
The Viking fencers will next compete on February 9 at Ohio State.
