Irish head to regional qualifier
By MIKE CONNOLLY
Sports Writer
The stakes are just a bit higher this weekend as the Irish fencing team travels to Appleton, Wisc., for the NCAA Regional Qualifier.
The Irish will send 18 fencers to compete for a possible 12 Notre Dame slots in the NCAA Championship.
While the NCAA tournament is still three weeks away, the Irish must place at least two fencers from each weapon in the top eight to have any shot at the national title.
If the Irish don't qualify two fencers at each weapon, they won't be able to score enough points to win the title at the NCAA Championship.
After placing at least two fencers in the top eight of last weekend's Midwest Championship (a tournament similar to the NCAA Regional), the Irish are confident that they will qualify 12 fencers this weekend.
"I think things are looking promising heading into NCAAs," freshman epeeist Anna Carnick said. "When you look at the top eight and see a lot of Notre Dame people fencing each other, it's a good sign. I think we will do pretty well."
The men should have no problem qualifying six fencers.
Throughout the year, the Irish have dominated their Midwest competition and should continue that domination in Appleton.
"I think we are looking pretty good," sophomore sabreman Andre Crompton said. "I think we will qualify everyone. We just need to stay healthy and mentally strong heading into NCAAs."
The women, however, have a fight ahead.
While both Liza Boutsikaris and Magda Krol should qualify in women's foil, women's epee and sabre are areas of concern.
Freshman Natalia Mazur is seeded first in the region in women's sabre but Carianne McCullough or Katie Flanagan need to fence strong this weekend. Flanagan finished seventh at the Midwest Championship while McCullough took eighth.
One of them must remain in the top eight this weekend to qualify for the tournament.
In epee, Carnick, the Midwest champion, should have no problem qualifying. Her teammate, however, Meagan Call finished sixth at Midwests.
"It won't be easy in women's sabre or women's epee," Irish head coach Yves Auriol said.
Auriol feels that not fencing in a tournament for two weeks might have played a factor at least week's Midwest Championship. This weekend, however, the Irish will be sharper, according to Auriol.
"We didn't do anything for two weeks so we might have been rusty," he said. "But this tournament requires a lot of concentration because it lasts so long but I think that is going to help us."
All Sports Stories for Friday, March 10, 2000
