Fencing: Irish back in action at Michigan State
By: MATT LOZAR
Sports Editor
Irish coach Janusz Bednarski is borrowing a line from the Three Musketeers.
"Our motto for this weekend is `All for one and one for all,'" the first-year head coach said."
After taking last weekend off from competition, the Irish travel to the Michigan State Duals Saturday for their last regular season meet. Sweeping the four dual matches at Michigan State will give the Notre Dame mens team its third consecutive undefeated season and run their dual match winning streak to 82.
The country's No. 1 mens team (19-0) will more than likely be without foilist Derek Snyder. The sophomore, who earned All-American honors at last year's NCAA Championships, injured his leg and is questionable for the Michigan State Duals.
"We will find out about him [today]," Bednarski said. "He says he is recovering quickly, but we'll take it one match at a time. He is our top foilist and we will try to beat others without one of our top fencers.
"Hopefully, it will motivate the other kids."
Bednarski's mens foil team is one of the deepest squads on the team with 2001 All-American Forest Walton and three-time All-American Ozren Debic having a 77-10 combined record so far this season. Debic, a senior captain, has a 42-1 record himself and is first on the mens foil list and third in all weapons for career winning percentage.
On the womens side, the No. 3 womens team (17-2) looks to continue the development of the sabre team for the upcoming postseason competitions.
"In womens sabre we are still working with the walk-ons," Bednarski said. "We are trying to improve as much as we can to be ready for the nationals. They are slowly improving. It takes time and it is not easy to make somebody a top national fencer."
Juniors Destanie Milo and Maggie Jordan hold the top two spots on the womens sabre squad while junior Danielle Davis has seen the most action at sabre of the walk-ons. Coming into this season with a 7-7 record in prior collegiate bouts, Davis has greatly improved and is currently 31-17 this season.
While Bednarski is concerned with developing the rest of the womens sabre team, for the NCAA Championships, which are less than a month away, only two individuals from each weapon can qualify per school.
Notre Dame will fence Detroit-Mercy, Michigan, Purdue and the host Spartans. With none of these schools qualifying a fencer at last year's national championships, the competition level for the Irish is not what they usually see.
Despite the weak opposition, Bednarski knows his team can get some things accomplished with the postseason starting next weekend.
"It will be part of our fighting to preserve first place on the mens side and keep the womens side growing," Bednarski said. "I hope the kids stay strong because they work hard and they are prepared for the season."
All Sports Stories for Friday, February 21, 2003
