Full results

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Three Wayne State University men's fencers placed in the top four of their respective disciplines Saturday during the individual portion of the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships, held at Notre Dame University.

WSU sophomore Quentin Schneider (Gonesse, France) reached the championship bout in the men's foil event, ultimately placing second, while classmate Hans Kaiser (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Stevenson) finished in a tie for third in foil out of 69 competitors. Senior Nick Silantyev (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) also finished in a tie for third place in the men's sabre competition, giving WSU three medalists on the men's side.

Schneider earned the fifth seed after going undefeated (6-0) in pool play and advanced all the way to the championship match in the foil. He defeated the No. 3 seed, Cleveland State's Phelan Spence, in the quarterfinal round (15-4) and beat his teammate, Kaiser, in the semifinals (15-10) to reach the championship match. Schneider would fall in the championship bout to Notre Dame's Ariel DeSmet, the top seed, 15-6.

Kaiser went 5-1 in pool play and had the No. 10 seed heading into the elimination round. Kaiser won four straight matches in direct elimination, including beating top-seeded Philip Chan of Illinois in the quarterfinals, 15-13, before being defeated by his teammate, Schneider.

Silantyev won all six bouts in pool play, earning the No. 2 seed heading into the elimination round in the sabre. Silantyev then won four straight matches including tallying a 15-13 win over U-M's Paul Bowsell in the quarterfinals. Silantyev was defeated in the semifinals by Notre Dame's John Hallsten, 15-11.

Freshman Adam Accica (St. Clair Shores, Mich. / Lakeview) also performed well in the men's sabre for WSU. Accica finished 21st overall after finishing 5-1 in pool play and winning a 15-9 bout over Xavier's Robbie Knetsche in the round of 64. He lost in the round of 32 to Notre Dame's Alex Coccia, 15-6.

Freshman Adam Kessler recorded a 40th-place finish after going 3-3 in pool play and sophomore Evan Mason (Trenton, Mich. / Riverview Gabriel Richard) and freshman Scott Ginebaugh (Belmont, Mich. / Rockford) each had victories in pool play as well for WSU in the men's sabre. Mason won a direct elimination bout, defeating Purdue's Nathan Cockerill, 15-14, in the first round. Ginebaugh also won his first direct elimination match, beating Xavier's Carl Mai, 15-12.

Sophomore Steven Kulda (Woodhaven, Mich. / Riverview Gabriel Richard) led WSU men's epeeists by placing 15th. Kudla finished 5-1 in pool play, earning a 16-seed for the elimination round. Kulda won his first two bouts in the elimination round before bowing out to top-seeded Maciek Zmyslowski of Northwestern, 15-6.

Junior Darrin Winston (Redford, Mich. / Thurston) went 4-2 in pool play and was seeded 23rd heading into the elimination round. Winston won his first match before dropping a 15-6 decision to Notre Dame's Garrett McGrath, who was seeded 10th.

Junior Merlin Chappuis (Grosse Pointe Park, Mich. / Grosse Pointe South) earned three victories in pool play and lost to his teammate, Winston, in the first round of direct elimination. Freshmen Michael Haas (Plainwell, Mich. / Plainwell) and Matthew Hilton (Amherstburg, Ont. / St. Thomas of Villanova) each also recorded two pool play triumphs for WSU men's epeeists. Haas had a 15-6 win over Case Western Reserve's David Bacisin in his first round match before bowing out in the next round.

Also in the men's foil, freshman Tyler Gace (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Cousino) recorded a victory in pool play before being defeated in direct elimination to Notre Dame's Alan Markow (15-4).

The Midwest Fencing Conference Championships continues Sunday with the team competition.