University of Virginia Library

For Midwinter's Cup

Swordsmen Scalp W&M Indians

Before an estimated crowd of
300 spectators, the University of
Virginia Fencing Club won its first
match of the season last Saturday
afternoon in Memorial Gym. The
swordsmen turned back a strong
William & Mary team, who is
coached by a former Virginia
fencer, J.H. Willis, by the decisive
score of 18-9. The victory, which
gave the fencers a 1-4 record,
enabled the Cavaliers to regain the
Midwinters Invitational title for the
third time in the last five years.

Because only two teams were
competing, Dr. Herman Wallner,
the Virginia coach, decided to fence
the match on one strip. This meant
that there would be three rounds
with each round consisting of three
epee, foil, and sabre bouts. After
the first round, W&M was ahead
5-4. But from that point on
Virginia took command. They won
the next round 8-1 and took the
final round 5-4.

The much improved epee team
led the way with an 8-1 record.
Both Dave Seroskie and first-year
man Bill Adams had perfect records
while fellow first-year man Jack
Cofer lost but one bout. Both the
foil and sabre teams won 5-4.

Steve Hatten, an
All-Southeastern Intercollegiate
Conference selection last year, led
the foil team with a perfect 3-0
mark. First-year man Tim Cannell
had an excellent 2-1 performance.
Roy Nanovic, a graduate English
student from Notre Dame and an
excellent candidate for
all-conference honors this year,
headed the sabre team with a 3-0
record. Joe Stegmaier and Evan
Robinson each contributed a win.

This non-conference match gave
the swordsmen some added
experience for the upcoming
conference matches. March 1
Virginia will host UNC, N.C. State,
Duke, and VMI at Memorial Gym
from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

This match will be Virginia's
most important as they face the
much more experienced Carolina
teams. Virginia has previously
dropped two of its conference
matches to The Citadel 14-13 and
Clemson 20-7.