CLEVELAND, Ohio – A quartet of student-athletes from the Cleveland State University fencing team competed as the program hosted the eighth annual John Szent-Kiraly Open Sunday inside Woodling Gymnasium.

Despite being seeded 29th entering the event, freshman Burton Hirschman the Vikings by placing eighth of 40 competitors in the epee group. After he was successful in three of his five matchups in pool play, Hirschman posted a pair of upsets, including taking down the third seed, to reach the quarterfinals. He would fall in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion.

Fellow freshman Vincenzo Trovato finished 14th in the same epee competition. Trovato went 4-3 in action in Pool #1 before winning in the direct elimination portion to advance to the Round of 16. Like Hirschman, Trovato also fell to event's eventual champion.

Freshman Aidan Gillespie finished 26th in the epee event while sophomore Colton Porter took 21st in the foil competition.

A pair of members on the CSU coaching staff competed in the Open. Assistant Coach John Marshall competed in all three events and placed among the top 10 in each discipline. His day was highlighted by a third-place finish in the epee category.

Graduate assistant coach Paul Duchow competed in the epee event where he placed ninth.

Cleveland State will return to action on the first weekend of February when it competes at the NU Duals in Notre Dame, Ind.