The Wildcats will head to Dallas on Friday for a competition of little consequence but big proportions.
This weekend’s USFA North American Cup is not, technically speaking, a team event for Northwestern. It is not a dual meet against other collegiate teams and will therefore not show up in the win-loss column.
“It’s a completely different format,” sophomore foil Dayana Sarkisova said. “You’re representing yourself or your club. They’re definitely high-level, intense competitions. It’s really good competition and practice.”
The North American Cup is an individual, tournament-style event in which players from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico compete. The competitors are generally some of the best on the continent, members of the team said.
“All the top college players, Olympians and up-and-coming players will be there,” junior foil Devynn Patterson said. “Basically anyone who qualifies can enter. This is probably some of the best competition we’re going to have all season.”
This weekend’s competition provides an excellent opportunity for NU to hone its skills for when the matches count toward the team’s measurable success.
The Cats’ next dual meet will be at the NYU Duals in New York and will be immediately followed by duals at Haverford College in Pennsylvania. Coach Laurie Schiller said both competitions will be good indicators of the team’s strength.
“We go to New York and Philly next week, and those are definitely tough competitions,” Patterson said. “This weekend will be a good way to prepare for them.”
After posting a 5-0 record at the UC San Diego West Invitational last weekend, the Cats appear capable of turning in a performance that rivals last season’s, during which the team posted 45 dual-meet wins, a program record.
The practice gained from top competition can only help the team continue that success as it enters the teeth of its dual meet schedule with the goal of repeating or surpassing last season’s performance and ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
With that in mind, the players have set the bar high for the weekend.
“Most of the events we compete in are going to have 100 people in them,” Patterson said. “The field is cut down by half each round. Getting into the top 8 is a national medal and we’re certainly capable of that. That’s our goal.”
