(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Team USA opened the World University Games in Shenzhen, China with three top-16 finishes by members of the U.S. Women’s Epee Team on Saturday.
Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas / University of Notre Dame), Susannah Scanlan (Saint Paul, Minn. / Princeton University) and Courtney Hurley (San Antonio, Texas / University of Notre Dame) finished the event in 13th, 14th and 15th place, respectively.
Seeded eighth after a 4-1 finish in the pools, 2008 Olympian Kelley Hurley earned a bye into the table of 32 where she won her bout against Lis Fautsch (LUX), 7-6. In the next bout, Kelley fell to 2010 Junior World silver medalist Lauren Rembi (FRA), 15-11, before Rembi went on to win gold.
As the 10th seed in the table, Scanlan also had a bye before defeating Rie Ohashi (JPN), 15-3 – one of the largest margins of victory of the day for any fencer. Scanlan nearly advanced to the table of eight, but she lost her next bout to Tatiana Andryushina (RUS), 15-12.
After two losses in the pools, six-time Senior World Team member Courtney Hurley entered the table of 64 as a #17 seed. Courtney held off Jo-Ting Hsu (TPE) and Angi Xu (CHN) in her first two bouts with 15-14 victories, but lost in the table of 16 to Vlada Vlasova (RUA), 15-8.
Holly Buechel (New York City, N.Y. / City College of New York) also competed, but was eliminated in the pools and finished 59th.
In the men’s saber competition, Daniel Bak (Franklin Lakes, N.J. / Penn State University) earned his best international finish this season with a 17th place result.
Bak won four of five pool bouts to earn a bye into the table of 32 before losing to Philemon Barruyer (FRA), 15-9.
Three other members of the team advanced to the table of 64.
The 36th seed in the table, Aleksander Ochocki (Clark, N.J. / Penn State University) lost his opening bout to Dymtro Pundyk (UKR), 15-11, and finished 37th.
A month after winning gold as a member of the U.S. Team at the Pan American Championships, Jeff Spear (Wyantskill, N.Y. / Columbia University) ended the pools with a 38th seed. Spear lost to Barruyer in the table of 64, 15-12, and finished 38th.
Bak’s younger brother, Adrian Bak (Franklin Lakes, N.J. / Penn State University), also made the cut into the 64, but placed 40th after a loss to Ho Tin Low (HKG), 15-10.
Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:
Women’s Individual Epee
1. Lauren Rembi (FRA)
2. Olena Kryvytska (UKR)
3. Lam Shin (KOR)
3. Ayaka Shimookawa (JPN)
5. Tatiana Andryushina (RUS)
6. Julia Beljajeva (EST)
7. Vlada Vlasova (RUS)
8. Anfisa Pochikalova (UKR)
13. Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas / University of Notre Dame)
14. Susannah Scanlan (St. Paul, Minn. / Princeton University)
15. Courtney Hurley (San Antonio, Texas / University of Notre Dame)
58. Holly Buechel (New York City, N.Y. / City College of New York)
Men’s Individual Saber
1. Andriy Yagodka (UKR)
2. Bon-Gil Gu (KOR)
3. Massimiliano Murolo (ITA)
3. Wei He (CHN)
5. Byung-Yul (Hwang (KOR)
6. Oleh Shturbabin (UKR)
7. Marco Tricarico (ITA)
8. Luigi Miracco (ITA)
17. Daniel Bak (Franklin Lakes, N.J. / Penn State University)
37. Aleksander Ochocki (Clark, N.J. / Penn State University)
38. Jeff Spear (Wyantskill, N.Y. / Columbia University)
40. Adrian Bak (Franklin Lakes, N.J. / Penn State University)
Tag(s): News
