“We all fenced well,” Staller said. “We had a strong team, so we were excited to show that.”

The women also showed their depth and strength in the day’s events.

“The girls beat [the Tar Heels], 27-0,” Meng said. “I don’t think that’s ever happened in the past 11 years since our coach started, or maybe in the history of Harvard fencing.”

Contributing to the sweep was an impressive contingent of fencers.

“On the women’s team, [junior co-captain and] defending NCAA sabre champion Caroline Vloka, [junior sabre and co-captain] Hayley Levitt, [freshman foil] Alexandra Kiefer, and [sophomore foil] Kathy Chou all only lost one bout,” Staller noted.

Meng in particular noted Kiefer’s impressive outing.

“She’s shown drastic improvement since she got here,” Meng said. “[Kiefer] definitely stepped it up today.”

The ladies also mirrored the men’s dominance with a similar score in their victory over Vassar—they lost only one more bout than their male counterparts to fell the Brewers, 24-3.

Against Penn State, the score was tighter, but the women still snagged the win, 16-11.

“They’re usually really good,” sophomore sabre Elena Helgiu said. “But right now...a lot of people aren’t there.”

In fact, both squads had their share of absentees, including teammates at other fencing competitions, like Raynis, and a Nittany Lion with a knee injury and another who is abroad, according to Helgiu.

Regardless, the day’s outcome proved quite promising as Harvard looks ahead to the Ivy League Championships in February and the NCAA regionals in early March.

“Our first goal, at the very beginning, was to win the Ivies,” Meng said.

With depth in each weapon group and a strong start to the season, capturing the Ancient Eight crown is a definite possibility.

“Our squad has no holes anywhere,” Meng concluded.

—Staff writer Molly E. Kelly can be reached at mkelly@college.harvard.edu.