POUGHKEEPSIE, NY—The NJIT men's and women's fencing teams opened the 2015 calendar year competing at the Vassar Fencing Challenge Sunday in Walker Field House.

The NJIT men, 6-2 on the season, combined for a 4-1 record at the Challenge with victories over Sacred Heart (14-13), Yale (14-13), Cleveland State (25-2) and Detroit Mercy (22-5) while dropping a (16-11) decision to host Vassar.

The NJIT women claimed their first victory of the 2015 season defeating #25 Cleveland State (14-13).

Freshman Simon Rizell from Gothenburg, Sweden, went 8-1 on the day in foil competition and 5-0 on the epee strip. The single loss against Yale fencer Brian Wang was Simon's first defeat in college fencing after a 22-bout win streak since he started the season back in November..

Five Highlanders picked up four wins apiece on the foil strip—David Kong, Henrique Marques, Maxwell Miller, Ryan Hrapsky, and Gal Gluhic.

Junior Ian Constantin recorded a 7-1 overall mark on the epee strip going 3-0 against Detroit and Cleveland State.  Marques a freshman from São Paulo, Brazil finished with a 6-0 mark against Detroit and Cleveland State.

In saber competition, Robert Slawinski led the Highlanders with a 10-5 record followed by Cole Degeroges with nine wins and seven from Alex Hill.

This was the first college competition for the following four women's fencers: Abigail Bazile, Kaelyn Gamel, Mehnaz Moon and Vera Shipman.

Freshman Jule Shigihara led the Highlander women on the foil strip combining for an 11-1 overall record, as the newcomer from Bonn, Germany, picked up three wins apiece against Tufts, Vassar and Sacred Heart.  Michelle Potestio recorded an 8-9 mark for NJIT.

Notably absent from the event was Rebecca Richmond who returns from a semester with the National guard this week and Julia Garcia, who participated in a Junior world cup in Dijon, France where she placed 13th out of 119 fencers.

Julia went 5-1 in pools
Anastasia Kalonji of FRA win 5-4
Anne Speltz of LUX loss 2-5
Anna Mroszczak of POL win 5-4
Lola Lucani of FRA win 5-4
Selina Meier of SUI win 5-2
Eleanor Cormack of GBR win 5-3

In her direct elimination bouts:
Julia had a bye into the round of 64
Julia defeated Diane Von Kerssenbrock of FRA 15-11 to make the top 32
Julia defeated Patrica Derr of GER 15-8 to make the top 16
Julia lost to Roberta Marzani of ITA 12-15

Next weekend NJIT will be traveling to UPenn for the Philadelphia Invitational where the Highlanders will compete against top schools including #8 UPenn, #10 Duke and UNC