Paris, France — Both men’s and women’s Team USA wheelchair fencing took part in the foil team table of 16 competition on Thursday. It’s a single-elimination tournament with three fencers representing each country.

The men’s team of William Schoonover, Noah Hanssen, and Byron Branch matched up with Brazil. But it was a collective struggle. The Brazilians jumped out to a 40-25 lead ahead of the final bout between Branch and Kevin Damasceno. Branch gave Damasceno all he could handle, closing the deficit to 44-41. But Damasceno sealed the deal, knocking Branch and the U.S. out 45-41.

“When you have any type of deficit, it’s best to fence one touch at a time and not worry about what the number is,” explained Branch. “If you can win every touch that you can, you’ll make up that deficit, but you can only afford to make as many mistakes as they need to make up in points.

“Today I led a lot with my body, presenting a lot of target to my opponent,” remarked Schoonover. “I gave up touches that I shouldn’t have.”

Schoonover, Hanssen, and Branch’s Paralympic journeys aren’t finished yet. All three of them will compete in the épée team event on Saturday- it will be Branch’s first time competing in épée since 2007. Schoonover and Hanssen will also compete in individual épée events on Friday.

“Épée’s a different beast,” said Schoonover. “There’s no right of way, it really is you get a touch, you get a point.

“I can use a lot of what I know from foil,” stated Branch. “There’s a lot more target area, it’s just getting rid of some of my foil habits.”

On the women’s side, rookie Paralympians Jataya Taylor and Victoria Isaacson teamed up with second-time Paralympian Ellen Geddes in a match with Italy. Taylor got off to a strong start, besting Ionela Andreea Mogos 5-1 in the first bout. Team USA had trouble replicating that the rest of the way. Taylor won her second bout, but that was the only other bout the U.S. won as Italy romped its way to a 45-16 victory.

“I’m just going to play my game,” expressed Taylor. “If there’s no one watching or someone watching, I’m just going to fence my game, but it does tell me what I need to focus on.”

“We had a tough draw,” said Geddes. “We’ve put in a lot of work throughout the past two years of qualifying, for that I’m very happy and thrilled to be here with these girls, we have earned our spot despite that score.”

Just like the men’s team, all of Taylor, Isaacson, and Geddes aren’t done in Paris yet. All three of them have individual and team épée events on the horizon Thursday and Friday.

“Don’t get sucked into the crowd,” explained Taylor. “Don’t get sucked into the other fencer, your opponent, just try to focus on your game and see how it works out.”

“Just like anything, it takes practice,” remarked Isaacson. “I’ll be a little bit better off tomorrow, and so will the rest of the team.