Ward on Top After Day One of NCAA Championships

BOSTON, Mass. - After winning 13 of 14 matches on day one of the 2010 NCAA Women's Fencing Championships at Harvard University, Duke sophomore Becca Ward is in first place in the women's saber field.

The defending NCAA Women's Saber Champion, Ward led the women's saber field in wins and touches scored while also receiving the fewest touches in the opening round of competition. Ward won all but one bout while holding all but three of her 14 opponents to three touches or less.

Ward has earned the top seed for day two of the competition, which is a single-elimination, bracket-style format that takes place on Friday, March 26.

Duke freshman Emily D'Agostino also made a strong debut in her first trip to the national championships, going 7-7 in the women's epee competition. The effort was good enough to give D'Agostino a 13^th-place finish out of the 24 entries.

To view complete results from the first round of the NCAA Fencing Championships, click the following link:
http://www.prisedefer.com/NCAA

Behind the combined 20 victories from Ward and D'Agostino, Duke currently ranks tied for 10^th place heading into day two. Friday features the women's medal rounds before the men begin their opening round on Saturday, March 27. The men's medal rounds take place on Sunday. Fencing begins at 10 a.m. each day.

-d-u-k-e-