US-based Filipino fencer Lance Tan continued to impress for Sacred Heart University as he listed a 13-2 record against Drew University in a dual meet at the start of the fencing action in the NCAA.
The 20-year-old sophomore said he is hoping to earn points to qualify in the regional championship, and eventually to the tournament proper of fencing event next month.
“I fenced all five rounds, 15 bouts, at my competition today and I ended up 13-2 for an 86.7 win percentage,” Tan told the Manila Bulletin in a message following the meet held Saturday, Feb. 6 (Sunday, Feb. 7 in Manila).
Tan, a former member of the Philippine Team, is the “first piste” starter and anchor of the men's foil team for SCU, which was supposed to face off with Boston College a week ago but was scratched by the organizers.
Sacred Heart University is set to face another dual meet Long Island University Sunday (Monday in Manila, before the play Boston College on Feb. 21, and again a duel with Drew on Feb. 21.
Tan, who competed in the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina was recently picked as among the 25 young leaders to the four-year program of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Tan said he feels confident on SCU’s campaign this season despite the changes of schedules due to the COVOD-19 pandemic.
“Right now everything is up in the air and constantly shifting in the US due to COVID-19. Travel is hard and we have NCAA rules about how many bouts we need to fence for qualifications to regionals, championships,” he said.
“We have two fencers on the Sacred Heart men's foil team that transferred from Penn State, and I know many of the fencers on that team and some are my friends. The last time we fenced was last spring semester (pre-COVID-19). Sacred Heart men's foil won the New England Conference Championship.”
The tournament proper of the NCAA Championship is set March 25 to 28 in Pennsylvania.