Women's Intercollegiate
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Title
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Women's Intercollegiate
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Date
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April 23, 1936
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volume
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1
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issue
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9
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page start
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3
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page end
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3
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en
WOMEN'S INTERCOLLEGIATE
Hunter College, host to the Women's Intercollegiate Fencing Association, staged its successful defense of the team and individual championships on Saturday, April 18th, when it defeated teams from Cornell, N.Y.U., Brooklyn College, and William & Mary. Captain Mildred Stewart beat Nellie Gordon of Cornell in the fence-off for the individual title.
The champions, presenting an entirely new team from the one which won last year, had rough going in all its team matches except against William & Mary. This match they won 8-1, but each of the others was won by the margin of a single bout, 5-4. Brooklyn College threatened strongly in the first match, when Miss Stewart was beaten by Stella Fox, and Roslyn Deutsch, Hunter's No. 2 fencer, dropped three bouts. Miss Anita Zarzoli, promoted from the junior varsity at the last moment, came through with three victories to become the heroine of the match. Miss Stewart won her two other bouts.
As it turned out later, the decisive match was fought early in the afternoon between Hunter and Cornell’s surprisingly strong team. After Miss Gordon had defeated Miss Stewart, the Cornell team ran up a 4-3 lead, needing one victory in two bouts to clinch the match and the title. Carol Young, Cornell’s No. 2, faced Miss Stewart, and in a nip-and-tuck battle, the score reached 4-all in touches. At that point, Miss Young started what seemed to be a sure-fire straight lunge which caught Miss Stewart off-balance. However, in the middle of this apparently winning maneuver, Miss Young pulled back — this lack of decision made the attack fall short by an inch, while Miss Stewart, in a desperate effort, scored the winning point on a high stop-thrust. Miss Zarzoli then continued her fine fencing and won from Miss Pound to assure the victory for Hunter.
Another thrilling battle loomed in the final match of the evening, when Dorothy Grimmelman of N.Y.U. faced Miss Stewart in a crucial bout. If N.Y.U. won, even by a 5-4 score, there would result a deadlock between Hunter, Cornell, and N.Y.U. Bouts would then have to be counted to determine the winner. The winner of the Stewart-Grimmelman bout would tie Miss Gordon for the individual title; the loser would drop to fourth place. Again a see-saw struggle developed, with the score going once more to 4-4. Several actions, on both sides, failed. Then Miss Grimmelman was caught off guard and Miss Stewart hit her with a beautifully executed pressure and disengage. This marked the team championship for Hunter and gave Mildred Stewart a tie with Nellie Gordon for the individual.
Miss Stewart and Miss Gordon each finished the regular round-robin with 12 victories and 2 defeats. In the fence-off, Miss Stewart turned back the Cornell captain 5-2. It was a well-fenced bout. Miss Stewart, by closing the distance on Miss Gordon's advance and taking the attack in opposition, scored the last two hits with beautifully timed disengages in the high line.
Miss Stella Fox, champion in 1934 and runner-up in 1935, placed third on touches over Miss Grimmelman. These two had tied at 11 victories and 3 defeats.
