University of North Carolina Athletics

Senior Clara Somfelean competes in sabre against Penn State Sunday. (Photo by Sarah Followill)
Tar Heels Earn Experience In Day Of Fencing At Temple
February 21, 2021 | Fencing
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Both North Carolina fencing squads competed at the Temple Invitational Sunday with the men's team going 2-1 and the women's 1-2.
The event was a late addition to the schedule and gave the Tar Heels an extra dose of experience leading into the Atlantic Coast Conference Fencing Championships, which UNC will host at Carmichael Arena Feb. 27-28.
"Going into next weekend, it was great for us to see progress and get more experience," UNC coach Matt Jednak said.
Aside from the team results, there were several standout individual performances. Among men, junior Beni Rabinowitz went 5-0 in sabre, including a 3-0 performance against Penn State. Freshman Noah Shepanek went 5-3, also in sabre, and freshman Reza Merchant was 7-2 in epee.
On the women's side, junior Aubrey Molloy went 5-3 in foil, including 2-0 against St. John's, 1-2 against Penn State and 2-1 against Temple. Sophomore Abigale Parker went 4-2 in sabre.
"We grew a lot after fencing Penn State earlier this month," Jednak said. "We were able to pin-point some areas of opportunity and had some good success with the things we targeted, especially men's epee."
Temple Invitational
Feb. 21 • Philadelphia, Pa.
Men
UNC 15, St. John's 12
Sabre: UNC 8-1
Foil: SJU 6-3
Epee: SJU 5-4
Penn State 17, UNC 10
Sabre: UNC 5-4
Foil: PSU 8-1
Epee: PSU 5-4
UNC 18, NJIT 9
Sabre: UNC 6-3
Foil: UNC 6-3
Epee: UNC 6-3
Women
UNC 20, St. John's 7
Sabre: UNC 9-0
Foil: UNC 7-2
Epee: SJU 5-4
Penn State 18, UNC 9
Sabre: PSU 5-4
Foil: PSU 8-1
Epee: PSU 6-3
Temple 18, UNC 9
Sabre: TU 5-4
Foil: TU 6-3
Epee: TU 7-2
The event was a late addition to the schedule and gave the Tar Heels an extra dose of experience leading into the Atlantic Coast Conference Fencing Championships, which UNC will host at Carmichael Arena Feb. 27-28.
"Going into next weekend, it was great for us to see progress and get more experience," UNC coach Matt Jednak said.
Aside from the team results, there were several standout individual performances. Among men, junior Beni Rabinowitz went 5-0 in sabre, including a 3-0 performance against Penn State. Freshman Noah Shepanek went 5-3, also in sabre, and freshman Reza Merchant was 7-2 in epee.
On the women's side, junior Aubrey Molloy went 5-3 in foil, including 2-0 against St. John's, 1-2 against Penn State and 2-1 against Temple. Sophomore Abigale Parker went 4-2 in sabre.
"We grew a lot after fencing Penn State earlier this month," Jednak said. "We were able to pin-point some areas of opportunity and had some good success with the things we targeted, especially men's epee."
Temple Invitational
Feb. 21 • Philadelphia, Pa.
Men
UNC 15, St. John's 12
Sabre: UNC 8-1
Foil: SJU 6-3
Epee: SJU 5-4
Penn State 17, UNC 10
Sabre: UNC 5-4
Foil: PSU 8-1
Epee: PSU 5-4
UNC 18, NJIT 9
Sabre: UNC 6-3
Foil: UNC 6-3
Epee: UNC 6-3
Women
UNC 20, St. John's 7
Sabre: UNC 9-0
Foil: UNC 7-2
Epee: SJU 5-4
Penn State 18, UNC 9
Sabre: PSU 5-4
Foil: PSU 8-1
Epee: PSU 6-3
Temple 18, UNC 9
Sabre: TU 5-4
Foil: TU 6-3
Epee: TU 7-2
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