The Penn women's fencing team will slice through a doubleheader this weekend beginning Ivy League play Saturday against Yale in Weightman Hall and traveling to Brandeis on Sunday for a five-team multi-meet.
Last year, the Quakers were leading the Elis, 13-12, before dropping two straight matches that would prove to cost the Red and Blue an Ivy League title.
This season, a more experienced and deeper Penn team -- including freshman Emanuelle Humblet, who went 10-1 last weekend -- will take on the Elis in Saturday's home match.
"It is always nice to host [a competition]," Penn captain Mindy Nguyen said. "It will tell us where we stand in the Ivy League."
While Penn has improved, the Elis are no pushover. In addition to featuring a formidable sabre squad overall, they also have a defending NCAA champion and All-American last year on their roster in that event -- sophomore Sada Jacobson.
During last year's regular season, she went 30-0 overall and 12-0 against league competition -- and it was only her first year fencing at the collegiate level.
"They can be had, but let's not pretend it is easy," Penn coach Dave Michanik said.
As the Quakers almost won the Ivy League championship last year, and this year the team is aware of its potential.
"This is a big deal because it is an Ivy, [and] we definitely have the Ivy championships in our sights" freshman sabreist Kate Zimmerly said.
On Sunday, Penn will face five opponents -- Boston College, Brandeis, NYU, MIT and Brown.
Despite the fact that the Quakers will be taking on Brown, the match will not count for Ivy League play. The official match will be later in the season.
The multi-meet format will be especially taxing for Penn since matches are played back to back -- therefore, the Quakers will play five matches on Sunday.
"It is hard because we fence five teams," junior sabre Christina Verigan said. "[But] I'd like to see Penn go undefeated this weekend."
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