Jan. 29, 2006

Notre Dame, Ind. - The Wayne State University women's fencing squad competed at the Notre Dame Duals on January 28-29 compiling a 5-4 record.

WSU posted wins over Detroit Mercy (20-7), University of Chicago (22-5), Cleveland State (24-3), Oberlin College (25-2) and Lawrence University (23-4). Three losses came against the top-ranked teams in the USFCA College Fencing Coaches' Poll: #4-Ohio State (17-10), #1-Notre Dame (18-9), #7-Northwestern (19-8) and one to unranked Duke (15-12). The women have a 12-10 record this season.

Senior and two-time NCAA Champion, Anna Garina led the women's epee team with an almost perfect record of 20-1. She was backed up by sophomore Justyna Konczalska who finished meet with a 19-2 overall record. Sophomore Alyse Schneider compiled a 10-11 record.

Junior Lindsey Howard, with a record of 22-4, led Wayne State's foil team. Sophomore Stacy Otremba finished competition with an 11-15 mark and junior Erin Stranyak finished with a 5-21 record.

In sabre, sophomore Kasia Kuzniak posted an impressive 20-4 record. Junior Alicia Chmielewski also performed well posting a 9-15 mark. Freshman Larissa Leffingwell posted a 7-17 record.

Noteworthy individual victories of the meet came against the Notre Dame Irish squad, as both Anna Garina and Justyna Konczalska defeated German international Madeleine Stephan; Alyse Schneider and Konczalska defeated Amy Orlando (NCAA '05 Runner-Up). Other bouts of note included wins for Lindsey Howard over NU's Christina Wang ('03 NCAA qualifier). Great victories came also against top ranked Buckeyes when Kuzniak defeated Eileen Grench (Ranked No. 3 in the nation in junior women's sabre by U.S. Fencing) and WSU's international epee tandem of Garina and Konczalska noted perfect 3-0 records against the nationally-ranked OSU team.

The Warriors will have three weeks off before the next competition. WSU will compete at the Midwest Fencing Conference Championship on Feb. 25.