In a thrilling display of skill and determination, the Duke men's fencing team reclaimed their throne at the ACC Fencing Championship, held inside the iconic Cameron Indoor Stadium. This marks the Blue Devils' third conference title, adding to their victories in 2018 and 2021.
The journey to the top wasn't straightforward. Duke finished tied with a 3-1 record, leading to a decisive fence-off against Boston College. Sophomore Ethan Boroditsky and freshman Abdelrahman Tolba delivered clutch performances in epee and foil, respectively, sealing the victory and bringing the championship back to Durham.
Leading the individual charge was sophomore sabre Lev Ermakov, who notched nine wins. Tolba and Boroditsky also shone brightly, securing eight and seven wins, respectively.
How It Happened:
On the women's side, senior sabre Hava Stone was a standout, going 4-2 in pool play and earning the No. 6 seed for the knockout stage. Despite a valiant effort, she fell 15-10 to Notre Dame's Siobhan Sullivan in the quarterfinals, finishing sixth overall.
The men's team faced an early setback against Boston College but bounced back with a statement win over top-ranked Notre Dame. Tied at 6-6 after 12 bouts, Duke surged ahead with three consecutive wins.
Notre Dame fought back, tying the score at 11-all, but Duke's Dayaal Singh edged them ahead again. The Blue Devils clinched the match with a thrilling final point from freshman Abdelrahman Tolba, securing a 14-13 victory.
Duke continued their momentum with a 16-11 triumph over Stanford, led by an impressive 6-3 performance from the epee squad. Ermakov, junior epee Kozmo Rhyu, and Tolba combined for an undefeated 8-0 record in their bouts.
Against rivals North Carolina, Duke's foil squad dominated with a 7-2 record, contributing to another 16-11 victory. This win, alongside Notre Dame's defeat of Boston College, set up a fence-off to decide the ACC champion.
In the final showdown, Duke capitalized on their opportunity, redeeming their earlier loss to BC with victories in epee and foil, securing their place atop the podium.
Duke Women: Individual Results (Pool Play Records):
- Epee: Monica Balakrishnan (2-4), Eiry Du (1-5)
- Foil: Isa Cheng (0-5), Skylar Knight (2-4), Zizi Newhard (3-2)
- Sabre: Victoria Gorman (1-4), Hava Stone (4-2), April Zuo (1-4)
Duke Men: Team Results:
- Lost to Boston College, 16-11
- Defeated Notre Dame, 14-13
- Defeated Stanford, 16-11
- Defeated North Carolina, 16-11
- Won fence-off against Boston College
Quotes:
Duke head coach Omar Elgeziry expressed his pride and joy: "Winning the ACC Championship in Cameron Indoor Stadium is something very special. Our team showed incredible resilience and determination.
Watching them fight back and win was truly amazing. Go Duke!"