Wei gets key win as GN South tops Garden City

The Great Neck South girls fencing team walked into Garden City as if it was ready for a party.

The Rebels entered chanting and sporting headphones and sunglasses, preparing to celebrate a win against an opponent that handed them their first loss of the season 10 days earlier. About two hours later, they were able to rejoice.

Olivia Wei won the clinching 24th bout and went 3-0 in foil in the Rebels' 15-12 victory in Division I on Friday.

"It's always close when we play Garden City," Wei said. "We wanted to avenge our loss from last time."

Wei was down 1-0 to Colleen Way, but tied the bout with 30 seconds left. Wei then took a one-point lead, but Way got even with 11 seconds remaining. The match went to extra time and Wei finally won seconds into the extra session.

"If I thought about it," Wei said of her mind-set going into the crucial bout, "I would get locked up."

The win was special for South coach Robert Piraino, who said it was the first time he could remember that his team beat Garden City (9-2) in the regular season.

"In my opinion,'' the seventh-year coach said, "Garden City has the best girls team and the best program in the county.

"Garden City is a very intimidating place to play, and we wanted to have a clear frame of mind," Piraino said of the Rebels' entrance. "It also lightened up the mood."

The accessories proved to be an asset as South (11-1), which, after tying the match at two bouts each, never trailed.

Piraino hopes to keep the party rolling until next week, when the Rebels play an upstart Manhasset.