NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Stanford sophomore Haley Koo is 14th after the first three rounds of the women's foil competition at the National Collegiate Fencing Championships on Thursday at University of Notre Dame's Castellan Family Fencing Center.
The only Cardinal woman at nationals, Koo compiled a 7-8 record on the first of two days of the women's competition. Stanford's five men's qualifiers compete Saturday and Sunday.
Koo will have eight more bouts over two more rounds on Friday morning. The top four of the 24-fencer field in her weapon advance to the semifinals.
Koo opened with a 5-4 victory over Western rival Rafaella Gomes of UC San Diego, followed by another 5-4 triumph, over Columbia's Sylvie Binder. The victory over Binder, who is sixth at 11-4, has been the biggest so far for Koo.
Three consecutive losses left Koo with ground to make up, but she finished Pool No. 2 with consecutive victories over Duke's Catherine Flanagan, 5-4, and North Carolina's Sophia Mandour, 5-3.
Koo went 2-2 in her second-round pool and 1-3 in the third round. Koo's overall record this season is 54-20.
The top 12 finishers earn All-America honors – first through fourth are first team, fifth through eighth are second team, and ninth through 12th are honorable mention.
