Banks, Skyler lead M. Fencing past Yale

In all sports, in all seasons, there comes a crossroads where teams either break through and become stronger or sink into mediocrity. Because the fencing year is so short and the Quakers were a disappointing 1-2 after last weekend, Penn was forced to get on a hot streak very soon if this season was to be considered a success. This weekend the Quakers believe they did. Less than 48 hours after dispatching of Rutgers and Vassar in New Jersey, Penn traveled to New Haven Saturday and prevailed over a Yale team loaded with talent. The Quakers exploded to a 6-3 lead after the first round and never looked back en route to a15-12 win. At the end, they fended off a run by the Elis with clutch victories by Eric Banks in foil and captain Edward Skyler in epee. "We came out smoking at the start and just kept on going," Coach Dave Micahnik said, "Not only did we gain positive momentum winning 6-3 in the first round, we also knocked off some of Yale's top guys and that really hurt them at the end." Numerous strong performances boosted Penn to victory. Freshman sabrer Sanjin Agashiwala picked up where he left off after a 3-0 night against Rutgers by sweeping three bouts against a powerful and experienced Yale sabre squad. Included in his victims was one of the top sabrers in the country, Beran Rose, who also fell to Penn's George Kalmar. "I just feel more comfortable now after getting through with my first college experience last week," Agashiwala explained. Overall, Penn won both sabre and foil, but the Elis edged Penn in epee 5-4. Nearly the entire team had satisfying performances, but the story of the day was the way the team began the afternoon. The Quakers will see if they are threatening enough to handle the Tigers tonight at home at 7 p.m. Princeton is also seen as a serious contender for the Ivy title, so today's matchup is vital if Penn is to finish on top of the Ancient Eight -- a lofty yet attainable goal for this team.