USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The October North American Cup concluded on Monday with medals awarded in cadet, Division II and Y14 events.

The cadet women’s epee competition came down to a final bout between two teammates – Alliance Fencing Academy’s Giana Vierheller (Houston, Texas) and Madline Antekeier (Houston, Texas).

Vierheller won her semifinal bout against Celine Shanosky (Baltimore, Md.) and Antekeier defeated Dariya Yefremenko (Manalapan, N.J.), 15-11, just two days after Yefremenko won gold in the Y14 competition.

Vierheller defeated Antekeier, 15-10, to win her second NAC title of the year and fourth medal as a cadet.

Cadet men’s foil fencer Matthew Branman (Villanova, Pa.) became the only athlete this weekend to return to the top of the podium after winning gold at the July North American Cup in Columbus.

Competing in the tournament’s largest event against 213 opponents, Branman won his first three direct elimination bouts by at least 10 touches each and faced Jarred Gou (Saratoga, Calif.) in the table of 16. In a rematch of their gold medal final from the July NAC, Branman won this bout as well, 15-9.

Branman advanced to the medal rounds after a 15-5 win over Aaron Ahn (Los Angeles, Calif.) in the quarter-finals and defeated 2013 Y14 National Champion Geoffrey Tourette (Cupertino, Calif.) by a score of 15-2 in the semis.

In the finals, his teammate at Lucchetti Fencing, George Haglund (Califon, N.J.) who scored more touches on Branman than any previous opponent, but Branman won the bout, 15-10.

Chloe Fox-Gitomer (Portland, Ore.) followed her bronze at Nationals in July with a gold on Monday in the Y14 women’s saber event.

Fox-Gitomer earned her first NAC title following a pair of 15-14 victories in the semi and final bouts over Miranda Gieg (Sudbury, Mass.) and Kara Linder (Chandler, Ariz.), respectively.

Men’s saber fencer Matthew Gebbett (Stillwell, Kans.) also improved on his results from Nationals and followed his bronze medal finish in the Division III competition with gold in the Division II event at the NAC on Monday.

Gebbett defeated Nicholas Carothers (Leawood, Kans.), 15-10, in the semis and Slavin Mu (Trussville, Ala.), 15-6, in the finals to win his first NAC title.

Click here to view complete results.

Top eight results are as follows:

Cadet Women’s Epee
1. Giana Vierheller (Houston, Texas)
2. Madeline Antekeier (Houston, Texas)
3. Celine Shanosky (Baltimore, Md.)
3. Dariya Yefremenko (Manalapan, N.J.)
5. Helen Sakharova (Ridgewood, N.J.)
6. Bridget Wallace (Ridgewood, N.J.)
7. Emma Von Dadelszen (CAN)
8. Tatijana Stewart (Ogden, Utah)

Cadet Men’s Foil
1. Matthew Branman (Villanova, Pa.)
2. George Haglund (Califon, N.J.)
3. Aiden Ahn (Los Angeles, Calif.)
3. Geoffrey Tourette (Cupertino, Calif.)
5. Joseph Marino (Rockville Centre, N.Y.)
6. Brian Howard (Petaluma, Calif.)
7. Aaron Ahn (Los Angeles, Calif.)
8. Zohaib Mannan (Short Hills, N.J.)

Y14 Women’s Saber
1. Chloe Fox-Gitomer (Portland, Ore.)
2. Kara Linder (Chandler, Ariz.)
3. Miranda Gieg (Sudbury, Mass.)
3. Esther Bentolila (Hollywood, Fla.)
5. Elizabeth Tartakovsky (Livingston, N.J.)
6. Sara Cunningham (Decatur, Ga.)
7. Ryan Jenkins (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
8. Tori Johnson (Peachtree City, Ga.)

Division II Men’s Saber
1. Matthew Gebbett (Stillwell, Kans.)
2. Slavin Mu (Trussville, Ala.)
3. Connor Mills (Medford, N.J.)
3. Nicholas Carothers (Leawood, Kans.)
5. Gregory Puccio (Warren, N.J.)
6. Stephen Matthews (Denver, Colo.)
7. Frederick Breslow (Appleton, Wis.)
8. Robert Slawinski (Middletown, N.J.)