Oct. 23, 2005

University Park, Pa. - Seven members of the Wayne State University women's fencing squad participated in the 33rd annual Garret Open hosted by Penn State University on Saturday, October 22.

Anna Garina (Kiev, Ukraine), the 2003 Garret Open champion in the epee, reclaimed her title with a win over Notre Dame's K. Montoya. Garina was second in 2004. WSU had two other competitors in the epee, Justyna Konczalska (5th) and Alyse Schneider (Harper Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North), who placed 36th out of 50 participants.

In the women's sabre, Katarzyna Kuzniak placed second falling to Penn State's Caitlin Thompson in the championship match. Junior Alicia Chmielewski (Harper Woods, Mich./University Liggett) was 42nd.

Competing in the women's foil were juniors Lindsey Howard (Goshen, Ind./Mishawaka) and MaryBeth Ketko (Livonia, Mich./Franklin). Howard was 13th with Ketko placing 26th out of 45 participants.

The men's squad takes center stage in Sunday's (Oct. 23) Garret Open competition.

The next event for the WSU women's fencing squad will be Nov. 19-20 at the Northwestern Dual meets in Evanston, Ill.