Both the men’s and women’s fencing team got off to a strong start to the 2012-13 season, as they swept the Brandeis Invitational for the fourth consecutive year last weekend.

The men’s team went 5-0, while the women’s team went 6-0. The Red Storm faced off against the likes of MIT, Yale, Brandeis, Brown and Boston College.

“We have a very good and strong team this year, definitely stronger than last year,” said St. John’s head coach Yury Gelman.

Seniors Evgeniya Kirpicheva (women’s foil) and Sean Buckley (men’s saber) and junior Anna Limbach (women’s saber) all posted a perfect winning percentage at the tournament.

The women’s foil team had the best weekend display, recording the most wins while yielding the least amount of losses, going 47-7. The women’s epee team was equally successful, going 42-12 on the day.

The women’s saber team was lead by Limbach, who won the bronze medal in last year’s NCAA Championships. She led the team with 18 wins.

The men’s saber squad was also successful, as they outscored their opponents in every match. Daryl Homer went 14-1 in his return to the Red Storm after representing the United States last summer in London at the Olympics.

“Daryl is much calmer and believes in himself much more after his Olympic experience,” Gelman said.

While four of the men’s foil team members struggled when they were rotated into a saber matchup to make up for an absence of a C fencer, they recorded more positive results in their own specialty, going a combined 36-9.
Freshman and 2012 Olympian Race Imboden made an inspiring St. John’s debut, posting a 13-2 record.

Although they were shorthanded, the men’s epee team persevered through injury, going 31-14.

The Red Storm has a prolonged break until their next team event on Jan. 26 when they host the St. John’s Invitational at Carnesecca Arena. However, a number of Red Storm fencers will be competing at the North American Cups in Dec. and Jan.