AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – All-American Lucas Orts returned after a season off and beat the 2021 national foil runner-up to highlight Stanford's fencing performances at the season opening Western Invitational on Saturday.
Orts, a fifth-year senior and electrical engineering major, went 9-3 against opponents from four teams, but the biggest was his 5-4 triumph over Notre Dame's Andrew Machovec, a two-time first-team All-American, at Cadet Gymnasium.
For the Stanford women, Joy Yun went 10-4, earning saber victories over fencers from Notre Dame and Columbia.
The Stanford women are tied for third with a 3-2 record after the first of two days at the 10-team tournament at the Air Force Academy's Cadet Gymnasium. The Cardinal men are fourth of nine teams, with a 2-2 record.
Against defending national champion Notre Dame, Yun, a sophomore, won two of her three bouts. She beat Jadyn Williams, 5-1, and Neve Harrison, 5-3. Earlier, Yun was Stanford's only saber winner against Columbia, beating 2019 All-American Nora Burke, 5-1.
The Stanford women opened with a pair of losses, 21-6 to Notre Dame and 22-5 to Columbia. The Cardinal rebounded with three consecutive victories: edging Northwestern, 14-13, and beating Brandeis and Air Force by 23-4 scores.
Against Northwestern, Yun won all three of her bouts to help the Cardinal saber team to a 6-3 victory in their weapon. In the epee, Woo Joo Kwon earned a crucial victory, beating Hanna Lipthay, 5-4, for Stanford's final point in foil.
The Stanford men opened with an 18-9 loss to Notre Dame and a 19-8 loss to Columbia. The Cardinal countered with two victories, 15-12 over Brandeis and 16-11 over Air Force.
Stanford's Sunday schedule includes matchups against New Jersey Institute of Technology, UC San Diego, and Incarnate Word.
* * *
Saturday
Men
Standings (after first of two days): 1, Notre Dame 6-0; 2, Columbia 4-0; 3, North Carolina 3-2; 4, Stanford 2-2; 5, Air Force 2-3; 6, NJIT 1-2; 7, UCSD 1-3; 8, Brandeis 1-4; 9, Incarnate Word 0-4.
Stanford's results
Notre Dame 18, Stanford 9
Saber: Stanford 5, N.D. 4
Foil: N.D. 8, Stanford 1
Epee: N.D. 6, Stanford 3
Columbia 19, Stanford 8
Saber: Columbia 6, Stanford 3
Foil: Columbia 7, Stanford 2
Epee: Columbia 6, Stanford 3
Stanford 15, Brandeis 12
Saber: Brandeis 5, Stanford 4
Foil: Stanford 6, Brandeis 3
Epee: Stanford 5, Brandeis 4
Stanford 16, Air Force 11
Saber: Stanford 6, Air Force 3
Foil: Air Force 5, Stanford 4
Epee: Stanford 6, Air Force 3
Other team scores
Air Force 18, Brandeis 9
NJIT 19, Incarnate Word 8
Air Force 16, NJIT 11
Notre Dame 20, North Carolina 7
Brandeis 18, Incarnate Word 9
Columbia 15, North Carolina 12
Notre Dame 23, Incarnate Word 4
UC San Diego 20, Brandeis 7
North Carolina 15, Air Force 12
Notre Dame 21, UC San Diego 6
Columbia 22, Incarnate Word 5
Notre Dame 19, Air Force 8
North Carolina 19, NJIT 8
Columbia 21, UC San Diego 6
Notre Dame 20, Brandeis 7
North Carolina 15, UC San Diego 12
Women
Standings (after first of two days): 1, Notre Dame 6-0; 2, Columbia 5-0; 3 (tie), Stanford 3-2, North Carolina 3-2, Northwestern 3-2; 6, NJIT 2-2; 7 (tie), Air Force 1-4, Incarnate Word 1-4, UC San Diego 1-4; 10, Brandeis 0-5.
Stanford's results
Notre Dame 21, Stanford 6
Saber: N.D. 6, Stanford 3
Foil: N.D. 7, Stanford 2
Epee: N.D. 8, Stanford 1
Columbia 22, Stanford 5
Saber: Columbia 8, Stanford 1
Foil: Columbia 7, Stanford 2
Epee: Columbia 7, Stanford 2
Stanford 14, Northwestern 13
Saber: Stanford 6, Northwestern 3
Foil: Northwestern 5, Stanford 4
Epee: Northwestern 5, Stanford 4
Stanford 23, Brandeis 4
Saber: Stanford 6, Brandeis 3
Foil: Stanford 8, Brandeis 1
Epee: Stanford 9, Brandeis 0
Stanford 23, Air Force 4
Saber: Stanford 8, Air Force 1
Foil: Stanford 9, Air Force 0
Epee: Stanford 6, Air Force 3
Other team scores
Air Force 14, Brandeis 13
Northwestern 16, UC San Diego 11
NJIT 18, Incarnate Word 6
NJIT 16, Air Force 11
Notre Dame 20, North Carolina 7
Incarnate Word 16, Brandeis 11
Columbia 25, North Carolina 2
Notre Dame 23, Incarnate Word 4
Northwestern 17, NJIT 10
UC San Diego 22, Brandeis 5
North Carolina 16, Air Force 11
Notre Dame 26, UC San Diego 1
Columbia 25, Incarnate Word 2
Notre Dame 21, Air Force 6
North Carolina 14, NJIT 13
Northwestern 17, Incarnate Word 10
Columbia 25, UC San Diego 2
Notre Dame 24, Brandeis 3
Columbia 23, Northwestern 4
North Carolina 15, UC San Diego 12