M. Fencing tries to win Ivy title outright with win over Lions

Continuing with a long-standing tradition, the Penn and Columbia men's fencing teams will exchange a pair of odd trophies when they compete this weekend. The winning team will be awarded a trophy of a wooden hand making a peace sign. The unlucky losers will also receive a wooden hand, but their hand will be flashing them with its middle finger. With those trophies on the line, the rivalry between the Penn and Columbia fencing teams has always been fierce. "Last year we took away Columbia's share of the Ivy [title]. They would have tied with Princeton, but we beat them," men's captain and senior epee John Wright said. Tomorrow, a men's victory over Columbia would mean an outright Ivy title, as the Quakers have already clinched at least a tie for an Ivy title. "If Columbia beats us then there would be a three-way tie between Princeton, Columbia and Penn," Penn coach Dave Micahnik said. "But that's terribly unlikely." "I started the season off wanting the Ivy [title]," Wright said. "As a senior, it would be nice to graduate after getting the first Ivy title in so long." Besides Columbia, the men's fencing team (9-3, 3-0 Ivy League) will also face Penn State and Temple tomorrow at Cornell. The women's team (10-4, 0-3) will face the same three teams, in addition to the Big Red -- who do not have a varsity men's team. But Columbia is definitely the focus as the men try to win their first outright Ivy title since 1983. "I think we're ready for Columbia -- that's been a season-long goal for everyone. We're mentally prepared," Wright said. The Columbia team includes 1997 Under-19 National Champion foiler Jed Dupree and Under-19 National Champion sabre Patrick Durkan. "Columbia has an excessively strong foil team," epee senior and women's captain Meredith Galto. Columbia's foil team includes Erinn Smart, bronze medalist in the1997 Junior World Cup, and 1997 IFA Champion Susan Jennings. But while Columbia is the only Ivy League opponent, it will not be the only challenging team this weekend. "There is not an easy one out there," Micahnik said. There is a good amount of friendly competition between Penn and Temple. "We have a good relationship with the Temple coach but we lost to them by one bout last year, so we'd really like to beat them," Galto said. "Temple is very team-oriented and they are all very supportive of each other. It will be a competitive meet. We have every chance to beat them, and hopefully we'll come out on top." "Penn State will be a challenge," Wright said. "It depends on luck and how our directing goes." "Penn State is always super, super strong. Fencing is their life. They don't have one weakling," Galto said. The matches will begin Saturday morning at 9 a.m., when the women's team will compete against Cornell. Although Cornell has a good fencing team, Micahnik believes the women's team has a good chance of winning. "Cornell is the least experienced team we will be fencing [this weekend]," Micahnik said. "We should beat Cornell," junior foil Amy Hozer said. "We're all going in with a positive attitude, and this is the last collegiate match of the season. We had last weekend off because of the Junior Olympics, and we're ready to come back and win."