The Green and Lady Fencers bagged a handful of medals in their bid for the UAAP Season 87 Fencing Tournament held last April 22 to April 25 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. The Green Fencers clinched one gold medal and four bronze medals, hailing them as the second runner-up overall. Meanwhile, the Lady Fencers settled in fourth place and took home three bronze medals.
Individual success
On the first day of the Fencing Tournament, Green Fencer Christian Buenaventura earned La Salle’s only gold in the Men’s Sabre Individual, edging out Eunice Daniel Villanueva of the Growling Tiger in a nail-biting 15-14 finale to give the Lasallians confidence heading into the week.
On the second day of the festivities, Lady Fencer Cyrra Vergara delivered an impressive performance in the Women’s Épée Individual event, outclassing Bhea Angela Raguin with a 15-9 win before falling to eventual champion Alexa Larrazabal of UST in the semifinals. Vergara eventually secured a bronze medal for DLSU as a result of her semifinal finish.
Reindelle Lacerna joined the medal tally in the Men’s Foil Individual later that day. He defeated Keonn Landon Gener of UP, 15-12, before bowing out to eventual champion Shawn Nicolei Felipe of the University of the East in the semifinals, earning bronze.
Team glory
Gabriel Jeremy Enciso, Lacerna, Buenaventura, and Patrick Favoreal represented the Taft-based squad in the Men’s Sabre Team event on the third day of the tournament. After receiving a bye in the quarterfinals, they were narrowly taken down by UST in the semifinals, 45-40, forcing a bronze finish.
Over on the Women’s Foil Team, Krupskaya Ednilag, Lady Fiona Sigua, Vergara, and Meixin Zeng represented La Salle and pushed off the Blue Eagles in the quarterfinals, 45-33, before eventually falling to the UP Fighting Maroons by a large margin, 45-26, for another bronze finish.
Meanwhile, Ken Panes, Francis Dela Paz, Klyde Pabalan, and Edan Ensamtan competed in the Men’s Épée Team event for La Salle in the afternoon of the third day. The Green Fencers thwarted their archrival ADMU Blue Eagles in the quarterfinals, 45-23, advancing them to the semifinals against the UP Fighting Maroons. Much to no avail, the Green-and-White ultimately bowed down to the Diliman-based team, 45-42, adding another bronze medal to their tally.
Contending for the Men’s Foil Team event, Marion Gamilla, Dion David Gonzales, Jose Lorenzo Mercardo, and Lacerna swiftly advanced to the semifinals after a bye in the quarterfinals. However, the Fighting Maroons pulled ahead in the semifinals, as tensions bogged down the Taft-based squad, 45-41, which carved another bronze medal for the squad.
Ednilag, Thea Lourene Marcayda, Vergara, and Jholan Villapando suited up for the Women’s Épée Team event. Despite their efforts at dominating the strip, the Green-and-White fell short against the Lady Warriors, 45-39, nicking another bronze medal to their tally.
To end their last bout of the season, Mharla Jade Ortula, Vergara, Alleah Aala, and Villapando represented the Green-and-White in the Women’s Sabre Team event, where they jousted against the Fighting Maroons in the quarterfinals. With pressure high, the Taft-based squad ultimately knelt, 45-43, ending their season with a heartbreaking loss.
Lunging ahead
After a grueling competition, the Green and Lady Fencers look ahead to a stronger showing after their Season 87 campaign, fueled by resilience, grit, and an unrelenting passion for the sport. Fencing remains a niche sport in the Philippines, but Lady Fencer Ortulla emphasized the value of every cheer from the crowd. “I think the support for the team is underrated, people don’t realize how significant the crowd’s energy is for us athletes. It’s really helpful. I’d love to invite the Lasallian community to watch fencing and support the Lady and Green Fencers,” she shared.
Villapando has one clear goal in mind: “I look forward to each of the blades having a podium finish next season.” She also reflected on the weight of stepping up for teammates. “If one of us isn’t able to perform their job, the others have to push harder, double the work.”
For Lady Fencer Vergara, the season’s biggest challenge was not the opponents, but exhaustion. “‘Yung pinaka-struggle lang talaga namin [ay] kulang lang kami sa athlete. For example, me, I’m playing all the weapons this season so wala akong pahinga [in] all four days, later nga after this, I will play sabre pa eh. Pero s’yempre, kahit ganoon, goal ko pa rin na madala ‘yung team sa podium,” she shared after the morning session of the fourth day.
(We are really lacking in athletes. I’m playing all the weapons this season, so I don’t get any rest across all four days. After this interview, I’m playing sabre again. But even with that, my goal is still to bring the team to the podium.)
Meanwhile, Lacerna carried his own battles throughout the season, overcoming injury to deliver a crucial podium finish for the Green Fencers. “‘Yung pinaka-struggle ko this season is, ‘yung pag-start pa lang ng competition, biglang may dumating na injury. It got into my bouts and na-limit niya ‘yung moves ko, in a way,” he said. “Pero nadala ko naman sila through my individual play. Nabigyan ko sila ng podium and medal, and nakuha namin ‘yung third,” Lacerna added.
(My greatest struggle this season is the injury I sustained at the start of the competition. It got into my bouts and it limited my movements in a way. Despite that, I was one of those who helped carry the team this season. Through my individual play, I was able to give us a podium finish, we got third.)
With eyes now turned to next season, Lacerna is confident in the team’s trajectory and believes that bigger things are in store for the Green and Lady Fencers, “I believe mas kaya namin makuha ‘yung championship next season. Maraming papasok na mas malakas pa and madadagdagan [ang] team namin.”
(I believe we have a better chance at getting the championship next season, there will be a lot of strong athletes coming in, we will get additions in our team.)
Their determination, despite the odds, signals a bright horizon after a third and fourth place finish. With greater recognition, deeper support, and perhaps a larger roster, the Green and Lady Fencers aim to strike gold, not just in medals but in spirit.
