Schlesinger, Davis pace Vikings at MFC Championships

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Nathan Schlesinger and Joe Davis both finished sixth Saturday to lead Lawrence University during the individual competition at the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships at Ohio State University.

Schlesinger, competing in foil, won three bouts before falling to Stas Sudilovsky of Ohio State 15-8 in the quarterfinals. Schlesinger beat Michigan State’s Nicholas Jenkins 15-8, topped Cleveland State’s Logan Eskew 15-5 and defeated Case Western Reserve’s Jared Paine 15-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

Competing in sabre, Davis also picked off three victories before falling in the quarterfinals 15-3 to Ohio State’s Fredrick Koch. Davis blitzed Denison’s Dylan Tallman 15-0, defeated Toledo’s Khalid Abdl-Haleem 15-8 and downed Wayne State’s Michael Karpinski 15-10.

Also competing in foil, Kai Kramer placed ninth. He won a pair of bouts before falling to Ohio State’s Leon Cao 15-10 in the round of 16. Jakub Nowak also placed ninth in epee. He won two bouts before falling to Northwestern’s Alistair Murray 15-10 in the round of 16.

The top finishers on the women’s side were Allison Kim and Erin Paxson in sabre and Natalie Hagopian in foil.

Kim, who finished 14th, went 6-0 in pool play and then won two bouts before falling to Northwestern’s Alisha Gomez-Shah 15-2. Paxson grabbed 15th place after going 5-1 in pool play and winning two elimination bouts. She lost in the round of 16 to Northwestern’s Madeline Curzon 15-8.

Hagopian, who finished 15th, went 5-0 in her pool. She then won a pair of bouts to reach the round of 16. Ohio State’s Alanna Goldie finally ended Hagopian’s run with a 15-5 loss.

In women’s epee, Annabelle Tsai, Jasper Olsen and Lauren Phillips finished 16th, 17th and 18th, respectively.