Duke rebounded from last weekend's disappointing performance at the Penn State duals as both the men's and women's teams finished above .500 at the MIT-Brandeis Invitational Sunday.
The Blue Devil men finished the day 4-1 to bring their record to 10-5 on the season. The women went 3-2 to improve to 10-8 on the year.
"It's good [to bounce back]," head coach Alex Beguinet said. "The spirit was good, and the team was good."
Duke's competition Sunday included MIT, Brandeis, Brown, Boston College and Harvard-which is ranked first in men's and third in women's fencing nationally.
That slate was still easier than the rigorous one the Blue Devils faced the week before at Penn State. There, the men competed against three of the top six teams in the country, whereas the women faced four of the top nine schools in the nation.
The men were once again led by the foil and saber squads, particularly freshman foil Eliot Cohen, who continued the strong start to his rookie campaign.
"They stick together, and they help each other," Beguinet said of his team's camaraderie so far this season. "It's a good team."
Duke will now prepare for its lone home meet of the season Friday and Saturday, when the Blue Devils host Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, North Carolina and Air Force. The Fighting Irish are currently ranked fifth on the men's side and fourth in women's and will present the biggest challenge to Duke, Beguinet said.
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