Banner Season: Mustangs secure women's title with six medal showing at finale

Toronto, Ont. (via Toronto Varsity Blues) - The Western Mustangs won the 2024 OUA Women’s Fencing Championship with five gold medals at the University of Toronto on Sunday, February 11.

The Mustangs dominated the championship with a total of 411 points, followed by the University of Toronto (293) and Carleton Ravens (142).

Nikhita Antil of the RMC Paladins won the Dave O’Donnell trophy. This award is presented to a women’s fencer who is most proficient in skill, style and sportswomanship as determined by a panel of judges. Ottawa’s Jay Logan took home the OUA Women’s Fencing Coach of the Year.

On Day 1 of the championship, the Western Mustangs secured two gold medals in the individual events. Mustangs Liza Yermolenko beat Carleton’s Ava Zheng 15-10 in the women’s individual epee final. Western’s Stephanie Shen defeated teammate Karen Laansoo 15-7 for the bronze medal.

For their second gold of the day, Ariana Tang of the Mustangs narrowly defeated Toronto’s Janna Elshakankiri 15-14 in the women’s individual sabre final. Nikhita Antil of the RMC Paladins defeated Jasnoor Kalsi of Western 15-11 in bronze medal action.

Wrapping up the individual events, TMU’s Erika Dominguez took home her second career women’s individual foil gold with a 15-11 win over Toronto’s Catherine Wu. Western’s Robin Wang defeated fellow Mustang Serena Fang 15-10 in the bronze-medal match. 

Opening Day 2 of the championship, the Mustangs team of Jasnoor Kalsi, Louisa Lewicki, Natalie O’Donnell and Arian Tang beat Toronto 45-42 in the sabre team relay final. The team for Toronto included Janna Elshakankiri Jessica Lu, Caroline Placko and Anita Trzciakowski.

In the bronze medal match, the Brock team of Jacqueline Chen, Isamaris Escano, Kirsten O’Brien and Wynne Reichheld overcame the RMC Paladins 45-32.

The Mustangs collected their second gold medal of the day with the team of Serena Fang, Emily Sim, Elizabeth Upton and Robin Wang beating Toronto 45-24 in the foil final. The Toronto team consisted of TianTian Dong, Catherine Wu, Zoey Xie and Lea Zizzari.

The Carleton team of Jillian Hu-Tchernykh, Kianna Junco and Zoe Waller won in the bronze medal match 45-39 against the Waterloo Warriors.

Western completed the championship with their fifth gold medal in the epee team relay. The team of Felicity Mei, Stephanie Shen Yiling Yang and Liza Yermolenko defeated the Varisty Blues 41-40 in the final. The Blues team included Jackie Lau, Anna Mucsi, Angela Mucsi and Amy Sun.

Carleton’s Mayeen Ayoub, Hope Johnson and Ava Zheng defeated the Trent Excalibur 45-27 to secure the bronze medal.

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Dave O’Donnell Trophy –Nikhita Antil, RMC
Coach of the Year – Jay Logan, Ottawa

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (DAY 1)

All individual medalists are OUA all-stars

Foil Individual 
Gold (Maitre Ken Wood Trophy): Erika Dominguez, TMU 
Silver: Catherine Wu, Toronto
Bronze: Robin Wang, Western

Additional All-Star: Elizabeth Upton, Western
 
Epee Individual
Gold (Al English Trophy): Liza Yermolenko, Western
Silver: Ava Zheng, Carleton
Bronze: Stephanie Shen, Western 

Additional All-Star: Lilla Mucsi, Toronto
 
Sabre Individual
Gold (Fred Wach Trophy): Ariana Tang, Western
Silver: Janna Elshakankiri, Toronto
Bronze: Nikhita Antil, RMC

Additional All-Star: Jasnoor Kalsi, Western

TEAM RELAY RESULTS (DAY 2)

Foil Team Relay
Gold: Western (Fang, Sim, Upton, Wang)
Silver: Toronto (Dong, Wu, Xie, Zizzari)
Bronze: Carleton (Hu-Tchernykh, Junco, Waller)
 
Epee Team Relay
Gold: Western (Mei, Shen, Yang, Yermolenko)
Silver: Toronto (Lau, Mucsi, Mucsi, Sun)
Bronze: Carleton (Ayoub, Johnson, Zheng)
 
Sabre Team Relay
Gold: Western (Kalsi, Lewicki, O’Donnell, Ariana Tang)
Silver: Toronto (Elshakankiri, Lu, Placko, Trzciakowski)
Bronze: Brock (Chen, Escano, O’Brien, Reichheld)

STANDINGS (OVERALL)

Western 411
Toronto 293
Carleton 142
RMC 117
Brock 100
Queen’s 99
Waterloo 74
Ottawa 70
McMaster 68
Trent 53
York 35
TMU 33
Guelph 2