The men’s fencing team is mastering the come-from-behind skill.

For the second time in a row, the men’s squad overcame a deficit in a pressure situation to win 14-13 over Brandeis University Jan. 22. And the women’s team continued to dominate; it improved its record to 3-0 with a decisive 17-10 victory over Brandeis University.

In their Dec. 7 match against New York University, the men’s team reversed a three-point deficit with four bouts remaining to defeat the Violets 14-13. Similarly against Brandeis, Mike Alexander ’04, who fenced epee in the match, went into the final bout with the score tied at 13. Alexander’s match went into overtime, when he defeated his opponent by one touch, giving the Bulldogs the lead and the win.

“Although the match was close the whole way through, we were still definitely the best team going in,” said Cory Werk ’06, who fences foil. “This showed at the end, especially with Mike’s [Alexander] win.”

Werk and the other Bulldog foilers each went 2-1 in their bouts, comprising a 6-3 record, the most that any weapon scored for Yale in the match. Daniel Senft ’03 and Nathan Elchert ’05 also fenced foil.

On the women’s side, the Bulldogs fenced well in each weapon. In epee competition, Erica Korb ’05 fenced 3-0, Sarah Senk ’03 fenced 2-1, and Katie Burghardt ’05 fenced 2-1 for a combined 6-3 record.

“Sarah [Senk] had several great comebacks in her bout,” Korb said. “She has improved so much this season, and it has really helped our team a lot.”

Korb was especially happy with Yale’s win; one of her former teammates competed for Brandeis.

“When you compete against people that you know, it is sometimes easy to lose focus,” Korb said. “We all did a good job of keeping our game up to the level that we know we can compete at.”

Yale also went 6-3 in foil competition with Justine Aw ’06 contributing a 3-0 record.

Both the men’s and women’s teams host Vassar College and Rutgers University Saturday.

“Brandeis is typically one of our easier matches,” Korb said. “But they also give us good preparation for the types of teams that we will be facing this weekend and here on out.”