Montgomery Girls Fencing Rallies Past Ridge for Statement Victory
Nicholas Mistretta
MHS ’79 Cougar Sports Correspondent
The Montgomery High School girls’ varsity fencing team earned a hard-fought 16–11 win over previously unbeaten Ridge, using late momentum and dominant sabre and foil performances to secure its first victory of the season.
Ridge, which entered the meet at 3–0, jumped out to an early 5–4 lead after the opening round of bouts. Montgomery answered in the second rotation, outscoring the Red Devils 5–4 to knot the match at 9–9 heading into the final round.
From there, the Cougars took control. Montgomery closed the meet on a decisive 7–2 run in the third rotation, turning a deadlocked contest into a comfortable 16–11 team victory.
Sabre Squad Sets the Tone
Montgomery’s sabre squad was the backbone of the win, finishing with an impressive 7–2 advantage over Ridge.
- Kyera Lim led the way with a perfect 3–0 mark, winning all of her bouts and repeatedly flipping momentum in Montgomery’s favor.
- Natasha Majithia and Aanya Datla each went 2–1, giving the Cougars consistent production across the sabre lineup.
Ridge’s sabre fencers had no answer for Montgomery’s aggression and control of distance, managing just two bout wins in the weapon.
Foil Depth Delivers
Montgomery also held a clear edge in foil, winning that weapon 6–3.
- Cleo Tong and Prithika Satish both posted strong 2–1 records, providing steady points in the middle of the lineup.
- Anastasia Nazarenko added a 1–1 performance, and Shresta Sathishkumar chipped in a key 1–0 bout, underscoring the Cougars’ depth in foil.
Ridge’s top foil fencer, Maya Zamlynny, went 2–0, but the rest of the Red Devils’ foil squad struggled to keep pace, combining for just one additional win as Montgomery built a cushion on the team scoreboard.
Ridge Strong in Epee, but Cougars Hold On
Ridge’s best weapon on the night was epee, where it earned a 6–3 edge to stay within striking distance.
- Ridge’s Izabella Klausz turned in a standout 3–0 performance in epee, while Charlotte Liu went 2–1 and Claire Zhang added a 1–1 mark.
Montgomery, however, did enough in epee to preserve its overall lead:
- Addia Roy and Jui Salunke each finished 1–1, and Aarushi Kharb picked up a win while fencing to a 1–2 record.
Those three victories in epee, combined with the dominance in sabre and foil, ensured Ridge’s late push was not enough to threaten the final result.
Complete Team Effort
By weapon, Montgomery’s balance was clear:
- Sabre: 7 wins, 2 losses
- Foil: 6 wins, 3 losses
- Epee: 3 wins, 6 losses
That distribution added up to a 16–11 overall team victory, as the Cougars out-fenced Ridge in two of the three weapons and delivered their best fencing when it mattered most in the final rotation.
Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com