SOUTHEAST Asian Games bronze medalist Samantha Catantan got off to great start in her stint with Penn State University women’s fencing team.
Catantan, who is from Quezon City, debuted with a 7-2 win-loss record in her debut in the women’s foil event of the in the Ohio State Invitational in Columbus yesterday.
Catantan’s teammate, Lodovica Bicego, who is from Vicenza, Italy, was also impressive with her 3-0 performance against North Carolina.
According to the league’s official website, Catantan’s win contributed to the Nittany Lions’ 15-12 beating of Duke and their 15-12 triumph North Carolina 19-8.
Their only loss of the day also came in Round 1 against Notre Dame, 7-20.
The Penn State men’s and women’s fencing teams stint in the invitational is their first dual meet of the season.
The men’s team won two of their three duals, with the Nittany Lions stopping Duke, 20-7, and North Carolina 17-10.
They lost in Round 1 against Notre Dame, 8-19.
In women’s epee, freshman Kateryna Chorniy, who is from Kyiv, Ukraine, also made her Penn State fencing debut by going undefeated against North Carolina, and after posting a 6-2 record.
The 18-year-old Catantan left for the United States last December to accept a scholarship with Penn State, which was offered to her in 2019.
She is one of two national fencers who settled for bronzes in the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Catantan was able to avail of her scholarship with Penn State after getting her paper works completed, according to the Philippine Fencing Association.
Catantan, who studied at the University of the East, is now part of the Nittany Lions, a team which placed runner up in Division I back in 2019.