Why That Last Bout Really Sucked

I had to pee--badly.

She kept rushing at me.

I couldn't hit her with anything.  Not even when I tried rushing her back.

The ref didn't see my parries.  Or, at least, what I thought were my parries.

I didn't take my coach's advice.

I rushed.

I lost my game--and my point control.

I had gone into the bout seeded above her.

Worse, it was my first time ever coming out of the pools in Div III WF seeded in the top 32 (at 31 out of 89; she was 34th--before our bout).

I knew she hadn't been fencing very long because my coach said she knew her.

I felt overconfident.

I felt underconfident.

I couldn't figure out what I needed to do.

I let her control the tempo.  And the distance.

I kept pulling my arm back, even on my attacks.

I was afraid of her blade.

I wanted to play it cool, search her out, set up my attacks properly, but she didn't give me time.

I let her fluster me.

It didn't feel like fencing.

I didn't just lose.  I was defeated. 

And after it was over, I didn't feel like I needed to pee anymore. 

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