THE ATENEO Fencing Teams end the second day of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Fencing Tournament with one medal in the Men’s Individual Foil event. As of Day 2 of their Season 85 campaign, the Men’s Fencing Team currently holds two bronze medals, and a silver medal. The Women’s Fencing Team has yet to secure a medal. Matches for both the Men’s and Women’s division were held earlier today at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion.

It was a rocky start for the Women’s Team after striking out in the Individual Epee event. Blue Eagle fencers Lucia Montinola and Robyn Lim failed to qualify for the elimination rounds with the pair failing to secure a win in the pooling sessions.

However, National Team member Kaikaku Dela Serna and fellow Blue Eagle teammate Alyanna Hernandez pierced through the pooling sessions of the Individual Sabre event, but would eventually exit the tournament in the quarterfinals. Hernandez bowed down to SEA Games-medalist Queen Denise Dalmacio of the University of the East (UE), 9-16, while Dela Serna failed to mount a comeback against UST’s Kim Shaznee Tuy, 13-15. 

[Sabre]

After striking through a 3-point deficit, Kaku Dela Serna bows down to UST at the elimination rounds of the Sabre event.

ADMU 13 UST 15 @TheGUIDONSports #UAAPFencing pic.twitter.com/uPcXGU3apH

— Lei Macaranas (@Lei_TheGUIDON) February 24, 2023

In the Men’s Individual Foil event, it was Trino Montinola and Seth Cucio who wielded the blades for Ateneo. Cucio bowed out of the event early after ending the pooling sessions without a win, while Montinola found himself all the way to the semifinal round against UE’s Shawn Felipe. While their bout started off with back-and-forth action, Montinola would end his journey at the hands of the SEA Games-medalist Felipe, 9-15.

[Foil]

Trino Montinola plunges forward to even out his opponent’s score in the Semifinal match.

ADMU 3 UE 3 @TheGUIDONSports #UAAPFencing pic.twitter.com/rHcQyruYDv

— Lei Macaranas (@Lei_TheGUIDON) February 24, 2023

Overcoming a heartbreaking loss in yesterday’s Epee event, Montinola talked about how good it was to be able to keep his composure on the second day of the tournament. “I’m not really thinking about the medal—it’s more of how I still got that fight in me,” he shared. 

UAAP Season 85 Fencing will continue tomorrow, February 25, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. Catch the Ateneo Fencing Teams in the morning sessions at 9:00 AM and the afternoon sessions at 1:00 PM.