The US team of Susie Scanlan, Courtney Hurley, and Maya Lawrence downed Italy in today’s opening round match 45-35 as reserve Kelley Hurley cheered them on. The US team will face Korea in the semi-finals.
The US team kept to a strategy of limiting Italy’s opportunities and forcing the Italian team to attack – opening up more chances by the US fencers to score on counters and use the clock as another ally on strip.
Down 20-18 at the end of four bouts, Lawrence took control of the bout for Team USA with a 4-0 win against Rosella Fiamingo. Courtney Hurley then blistered Bianca del Carretto 8-3 to put the US up by 7 touches, 30-23.
Mara Navarria was the star for Italy, going 7-4 against Courtney Hurley in the 2nd round, 6-4 against Scanlan and 7-5 against Lawrence.
Navarria was only able to cut the US lead to 5 points, however, and Scanlan and Hurley closed out their bouts to advance team USA to the semi-final round.
Korea defeated top seed Romania 45-38.
The US and Korea have met once before this season. In that match the US team posted a 44-42 win.
In the other half of the bracket, #3 China defeated #6 Germany 45-42 and #2 Russia downed the Ukraine 45-34. China and Russia will meet in the other semi-final match.
Match details: USA vs. Italy (via London2012.com)
| Bout | USA | Touches | Score | Touches | ITALY | |
| 1 | SCANLAN S | 4 | 4 – 3 | 3 | FIAMINGO R | |
| 2 | HURLEY C | 4 | 8 – 10 | 7 | NAVARRIA M | |
| 3 | LAWRENCE M | 6 | 14 – 14 | 4 | DEL CARRETTO B | |
| 4 | SCANLAN S | 4 | 18 – 20 | 6 | NAVARRIA M | |
| 5 | LAWRENCE M | 4 | 22 – 20 | 0 | FIAMINGO R | |
| 6 | HURLEY C | 8 | 30 – 23 | 3 | DEL CARRETTO B | |
| 7 | LAWRENCE M | 5 | 35 – 30 | 7 | NAVARRIA M | |
| 8 | SCANLAN S | 5 | 40 – 33 | 3 | MOELLHAUSEN N | |
| 9 | HURLEY C | 5 | 45 – 35 | 2 | FIAMINGO R |