USA Fencing

(Chicago, Ill.) – The U.S. Women’s Saber Team will take on top-ranked Russia in the gold medal final tonight at the Absolute Fencing Gear® Korfanty World Cup at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

The finals will be streamed live from the Flames Athletic Center at www.usfencing.org and will include both the women’s gold medal final as well as the men’s final with teams that are to be determined this afternoon.

Team USA came into the event as the third seed and defeated Hong Kong, 45-30, in the table of 16 and Germany, 45-28, in the quarters.

The Americans fenced Ukraine, the reigning Senior World Champions, in the semifinals where the team of Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.), Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, N.J.), Ibtihaj Muhammad (Maplewood, N.J.) and Eliza Stone (Chicago, Ill.) trailed by two touches after the first seven bouts.

Zagunis outscored Alina Komashchuk, 7-3, in the eighth bout to give Team USA a two-touch lead at 40-38.

In the final bout, Wozniak came in as the anchor against Olga Kharlan – the top-ranked fencer in the world and the reigning individual Senior World Champion. Wozniak closed the match, 45-43, to send Team USA into the gold medal final.

For complete results of both the men’s and women’s events, visit www.usfencing.org.