Dagmara Wozniak helps lead U.S. fencing team to Bronze medal

The U.S. women's fencing contingent came into the Olympic team sabre event Saturday with a chip on their shoulders after coming away relatively disappointed in the individual competitions. But as team, they found reason to celebrate after winning the bronze medal, beating Italy 45-30 and matching the 2008 bronze-medal finish in Beijing.

Led by a duo of determined Olympic veterans Dagmara Wozniak — the purple-haired St. John's alum who earned her first Olympic medal after being an alternate in Beijing and placing eighth individually in London — and Mariel Zagunis — who was on the 2008 team and now adds a fourth Olympic medal to her collection. They were joined by Ibtihaj Muhammad and Monica Aksamit, both appearing in their first Olympic Games.

Muhammad, who became the first U.S. Olympian to wear a hijab during competition earlier this week, can now proudly bring a bronze medal back home to New Jersey with her.

After losing a close semifinals match, 45-42, against eventual Gold medal winner Russia, team USA built up a lead against Italy before Muhammad started to lose ground against her Italian opponent, Irene Vecchi, in the third bout.

 Zagunis, the most decorated U.S. fencer of all time, yelled support “It’s OK, it’s OK” from behind the piste and Muhammad ended the third bout in a 5-5 tie with Team USA still in the lead at 15-11.

While the Italians drew closer in the seventh bout, winning for the first time 8-5, it was Wozniak who extended the lead again to 40-27 overall. Zagunis anchored the team, closing out with a 5-3 bout, and leading the team in a well deserved group hug after the victory.

For St. John's, that means two former Red Storm fencers went home with medals in Rio.

Daryl Homer took home a Silver earlier in the week. Homer, a 26-year-old from the Bronx, born in the Virgin Islands, became the first American to win a silver medal in men’s individual sabre in 112 years.

Mariel Zagunis defeats screaming fencer

Mariel Zagunis— the world's top-ranked fencer in women's individual sabre— began the defense of her gold medal from Beijing in the opening round of the 2012 London Games with a 15-7 victory over a screaming opponent from Indonesia.

The only thing more resounding than the win was Zagunis' opponent's vocal chords.

No. 32 ranked Diah Permatasari screams after every winning point she scores.  If you thought the grunting in women's tennis was hard on the ears, listen to this women's shrill voice.  Now imagine it for the course of a 15-point duel on the piste.

Granted, Permatasari is trying to emphasize a touch to the judge in the lightning quick sport— like most fencers do— but after a while, her screaming must be trying to the officials ears.

Zagunis was the first American to ever win gold in fencing and was the U.S. team's flag holder at Friday's opening ceremonies.

The Indonesian screamer even let out a little yelp when she lost.