DETROIT (11/19/2019) -- Three University of Detroit Mercy women's fencers medaled Sunday at the season-opening Istvan Danosi Open, held on the campus of Wayne State University. Detroit Mercy went against Wayne State, Michigan State and Toledo and had six fencers compete in the individual event.

Senior Savannah Lee earned her second career podium finish at the Danosi Open, placing second in sabre for the Titans after earning a bronze last year. Sophomore foilist Manal Shaito also finished second, earning a silver medal for her second podium in as many years after picking up a bronze as a freshman in 2018. Last season's Newcomer of the Year, Justine Hickey, earned her first career podium finish at the Danosi Open, placing third in sabre for the red, white and blue.

The Titans had three in the top five in women's sabre with Lee placing second, Hickey finishing third and senior Erica Tessmer placing fifth. Newcomer Savannah Sloan placed ninth for the Titans in the weapon. Two Titans competed in women's foil with Shaito finishing runner-up and senior Danielle Spencer earning sixth place for the red, white and blue.

Lee had a nearly unblemished mark in pool play, going 7-1 to earn the No. 2 seed and reaching the championship bout in the weapon with 15-10 and 15-8 wins. She fell in the championship to Wayne State's Alexandra Wasag. Hickey went 6-2 in pool play (with two 5-4 losses and a +21 indicator) and was seeded third, reaching the semifinals with a 15-8 win over Wayne State's Katie Tyrrell. Hickey then dropped her semifinal bout with her teammate, Lee.

In foil, Shaito earned a mark of 3-2 in pool play (+4 indicator) to pick up the No. 2 seed heading into the DE bracket. After a bye, Shaito downed Alyssa Hirsch of Wayne State in the semifinals, 15-7, before falling in the championship bout against top-seeded Mycah Slade of Wayne State.

In sabre, Tessmer also had a good mark in pool play, earning a 6-2 record to earn the No. 4 seed, but dropped her first direct elimination bout, 15-9, to Medina Shuti of Wayne State. In her first collegiate fencing action, Slone earned a bout victory in pool play and finished with 10 touches scored. Slone fell in her first DE bout, 15-8, to Sabrina Herman of Michigan State.

The Titans are off competitively for the next several weeks, before hosting its annual Detroit Mercy Invitational from CalihanHall on Sunday, Jan. 12. It's the first of three events that Titan fencing will host in 2020 as Detroit Mercy hosts the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship from CalihanHall on March 7 and then the 2020 NCAA Fencing Championships from the TCF Center in downtown Detroit from March 19-22, 2020.