This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/10/2018 12:00 AMJen Accetta capped off an excellent regular season with an equally impressive postseason as a member of the Morgan fencing program this winter. Perhaps the best part is that Jen still has one more year left with the Huskies to try and repeat, or even top her feats, from her recent junior campaign.
Jen’s interest in fencing was sparked in middle school, when she attended a summer camp taught by Morgan Head Coach James Barnett. Now an épée fencer, Jen has steadily progressed throughout her time with the Huskies and recently put together a great junior year that saw her post a record of 47-17, finish fourth at the Individual State Championship, and earn All-State First Team accolades. Her career record at Morgan is 87-49.
“I love the sport so much, and I owe my success to my family and my teammates. They are always pushing me to do my best and work my hardest,” says Jen. “We have one of the newer teams here at Morgan, but I love it, because it teaches you discipline and respect. It’s a sport that has many components and good people in it.”
Jen says that she’s grown both mentally and physically from enduring the rigors of the fencing strip. She’s become a more confident fencer throughout the process and uses that to her advantage when it’s time to compete.
“I’ve improved mentally by picking up my self-esteem more. When I started here, I went into matches thinking I wouldn’t do well. Now, I go into each match thinking, ‘Let’s see what happens here,’” Jen says. “I’ve become stronger physically simply because the sport takes everything out of you when you fence.”
While Jen experienced her fair share of notable postseason moments this year, she also put on a top-notch performance during a regular-season meet against North Haven. It was a flawless evening for Jen and one of the major highlights of a great year for the girls’ épée team.
“Getting fourth at individual states and making All-State First Team were great. It was also a great moment competing at team states and having my whole team cheer me on,” says Jen. “This year against North Haven, I went undefeated in my matches, which had never happened before. Our whole girls’ épée team was really killing it all year.”
Head Coach James Barnett says that Jen has ice water in her veins during her bouts. Barnett feels that type of composure has played a huge role in Jen’s rapid rise up the ranks.
“Jen has been a great member of the team. From the beginning, she always comes to, and leaves practice, with a smile. She is so even-keeled that it is very hard to tell when she has won or lost, so I have had to ask her to at least give me a thumbs-up at the end of her bouts,” Barnett says. “Her success comes because she is a natural for this sport. When she takes lessons, we are able to move fast and develop her techniques, because she is able to focus so well on task.”
Senior year is always a big one for any high-school athlete, and the case will certainly be the same for Jen. As she looks ahead to her final year with Morgan fencing, Jen not only wants to one-up what she achieved as a junior, she’s also looking to help the Huskies take the next step toward a greater tier of success.
“I hope to finish higher than fourth at individual states next year and have an even better win-loss record than this year,” says Jen. “For the team, I want us to do even better at team states and grab as many wins as possible.”