The MSU fencing club's attempt at swashbuckling supremacy was foiled by the United States Military Academy in the third USA Collegiate Fencing Club Championship.
This year's competition was sponsored by the MSU fencing club and allowed club teams to compete for national ranking.
Fencers from more than 20 colleges and universities crowded into IM Sports-West to cross blades during the event which took place Saturday and Sunday.
"This is the national championship," Michael Hoffman, an international relations senior said. "It's the biggest event in club fencing."
Fencing became a club sport at MSU in 1997 after it lost its varsity status. Since then, it has been run and organized by students.
Hoffman is the captain of the MSU men's épée squad. The competition is broken up between men's and women's teams and then further divided by the three classes of weapon: épée, foil and saber.
Although they vary little in size and weight, the weapons are scored differently and a fighter must train in a particular style to gain mastery in his or her weapon.
The event drew teams from as far away as Texas and Florida, and Hoffman said he looks forward to the new competition.
"A lot of these teams came from really far away," Hoffman said. "I'm interested in seeing the ones we've never faced before."
MSU women's team captain Aggie Ostrowski said the club had been organizing the event for about a year. She said it was hardest finding officials to judge the individual competitions.
"For an event this size, you need about 24 officials," Ostrowski said. "There are maybe four that live in Michigan."
Ostrowski, a chemistry senior, explained that the competition is scored on an individual basis. Fighters are scored on the outcome of their personal matches, and at the end of the tourney, the teams with the highest-scoring individuals win first-place honors.
MSU scored fifth place in the overall competition.
Music junior Erin Socia competed with the women's saber squad. She said her favorite part of the competition was the team's matchup with the University of Michigan on Saturday.
"It was sweet," Socia said. "We took out two of their fencers - it was the best part of the day."
Socia said she got into the sport because her older brother also is a fencer at MSU. She said competing offers fighters a unique combination of physical action and individual strategy.
"The game is so intense," Socia said. "The rush is incredible."
Jeremy Fowler, a recent University of Florida graduate, came to the event to help coach Florida's saber squads. He said he fenced for five years at the university and helped organize the first USA Collegiate Fencing Club Championship in Gainesville, Fla. in 2003.
He said the event is increasing in size since its inception, with more teams competing each year.
"It encourages smaller teams to form," Fowler said. "Now they have something to go to - a goal to set."
