Fencing's Blessing Olaode Takes Sabre Title at NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional

Saturday, March 9

Easton, Pa.

All Day

Temple University

NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional

Photo by: Camille Simmons

Fencing's Blessing Olaode Takes Sabre Title at NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional

3.9.19 | Women's Fencing

EASTON, Pa. - Senior Blessing Olaode earned her first trip to the NCAA Championships the automatic way - by winning the sabre title at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional. She was one of four Owls to make it to the finals (top 12) at the meet.

Meet Summary
> Two other Temple fencers are also now in contention for spots at the NCAA Championships, and both would be making repeat appearances. The selections for the NCAA Championships will be announced on Tuesday, March 11.
> Junior Kennedy Lovelace, who earned All-America Second Team honors at last year's championships, placed third in foil at the regional.
> Behind Olaode in sabre was junior Kerry Plunkett in fourth place. Plunkett would be making her third straight trip to the NCAA Championships in as many seasons.
> Olaode won eight of 11 bouts in the fourth and final pool round against the other finalists, tying Penn State's Zara Moss. The two also had the same difference in touches at +14, but Olaode earned the tiebreaker with 49 total touches scored to Moss's 45.
> Sophomore Megan Ross made her first finals and finished 12th overall in foil.
> In two weapons, the Owls had a fencer just barely out of making finals. Sophomore Eva Hinds placed 13th in sabre and sophomore Marielle Luke was 13th in epee.

Quotable - Head Coach Nikki Franke
> "For Blessing to win today was just fantastic. You can't ask for anything better as a senior. It was a very strong field and she was just relentless and very smart with her fencing. She made good adjustments when she needed to. This was a great culmination to what has been a very good season for her so far."

> "It was great for us to have four finalists. It was Megan's first final and she fenced very hard. Kennedy remained very even-keeled throughout the day on her way to getting third, and was very focused. Kerry had a strong day to finish fourth and has been so consistent all year."

> "All in all we were pleased that our finalists did so well. It's a very stressful tournament because so much depends on it. Everyone is fighting for their lives and it's always very, very tough. Now we just have to wait and see who's going to qualify for NCAAs."

Temple Results
Sabre
1st - Blessing Olaode
4th - Kerry Plunkett
13th - Eva Hinds
17th - Malia Hee

Foil
3rd - Kennedy Lovelace
12th - Megan Ross
17th - Aryana Abtin
19th - Auset Muhammad

Epee
13th - Marielle Luke
16th - Zahrah Dinkins
17th - Ally Micek
23rd - Fiona Fong