The Varsitarian

UST FENCERS made a repeat performance this year as the women’s and men’s teams delivered silver and bronze performances in UAAP competitions last month at the Philsports Fencing Hall.

UST and UP actually bagged three golds each but the España-based fencers settled for second overall as Diliman had superior ranking in all women’s events.

UST’s three golds came from Jocelyn Naval in the individual Sabre and from the team Epée and team Sabre events. Naval’s feat earned her Rookie of the Year honors.

UST Lady Fencer Maricel Tacayon downed Anne Baylon, 15-10, to capture third place in the women’s Foil event.

UST’s Harlene Orendain failed to match the intensity of UP’s Ma. Margarita Gamallo as she dropped a 15-8 decision in the women’s Epée individual finals, while Ma. Aurora Galan copped the third place in the women’s individual Sabre.

Meanwhile, facing tough opposition in their division, the UST swordsmen managed to put up a gallant stand with one gold, three silvers and a bronze to finish third behind Far Eastern University (FEU) and back-to-back champion University of the East (UE).

Last year’s UAAP rookie awardee and national team member Gian Carlo Nocom fell prey in the finals of the Men’s Sabre individual category to this season’s best rookie and also a national mainstay, UE’s Edmond Velez, 15-12.

Nocom’s fellow national player Almario Vizcayno stumbled in the Men’s Epée individual category against FEU’s Avelino Victorino, 15-6.

In the Men’s Sabre team event, UST produced its biggest performance as the triumvirate of Nocom, Marc Ferdinand Leoncio and Jose Richard Gumabao wielded the upset axe over the formidable trio of Velez, Emmanuel Bongiad and Gil Soriano Jr. from powerhouse UE in a 45-39 upset.

UST’s Epée team came up short in the finals as Crisano Tarce, Mark Anthony Madrazo and Vizacayno only managed to score 36 against FEU’s 45. The Men’s Team in the Foil event settled for bronze. A. T. Almo