ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Case Western Reserve University men's swimming & diving team opened the 2012-13 campaign with a bang this weekend, posting a 4-0 record versus four conference foes at the University Athletic Association Invitational on Friday and Saturday, October 26-27, at the Speegle-Wilbraham Center.
The Spartans defeated Brandeis University (Mass.), 306-52, Carnegie Mellon University (Pa.), 208-160, New York University, 250-120, and host Rochester, 244-124.
On day one, the Spartans started with a win in the 400-yard medley relay team with a time of 3:33.22 from sophomore Andrew Bollinger (Boulder, Colo./Fairview), junior Sean Nickley (Springfield, Va./West Springfield), sophomore Eric Haufler (Westminster, Md./Francis Scott Key) and junior Gus Bailey (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City).
Two events later, freshman Aaron Tam (Doral, Fla./Ronald Reagan Doral Senior) made his collegiate debut and placed third in the 1,650 free with a time of 16:48.42.
The next relay, the 200 free, produced a runner-up finish as the Spartan quartet of junior Scott McHenry (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury), junior Heath Hudgins (Chapel Hill, N.C./East Chapel Hill), Bollinger and Bailey finished in 1:27.05.
Sophomore Alex Haufler (Westminster, Md./Francis Scott Key) then placed runner-up individually in the 200 individual medley, while junior Nick Clyde (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron) was fourth in 2:00.31.
Case then closed the day out in the pool with another second-place showing in the 800 free relay behind the team of Eric Haufler, McHenry, Hudgins and sophomore Caleb Allen (Knoxville, Tenn./Bearden).
On the diving board, junior Daniel Jacobson (Solon, Ohio/Solon) was second in the one-meter event with 291.70 points.
On day two, the Spartans' medley relay was at it again as Bollinger, Nickley, Eric Haufler and Bailey won the 200 event with a mark of 1:36.45.
Tam then followed with his second runner-up performance of the weekend when he finished the 200 free in 1:47.27.
In the next event, Bollinger captured first place in the 100 back with a time of 53.08, while Nickley followed up with a win of his own in the 100 breaststroke at 59.81.
In the 50 free, Bailey and sophomore Elliott Kerbel (Skokie, Ill./Niles West) took second and third with respective times of 21.81 and 21.87. Bailey also took third in the 100 free with a time of 48.55.
Alex Haufler placed runner-up in the 200 back with a mark of 1:58.22 before Nickley touched the wall first in the 200 breaststroke in 2:11.92.
In the 500 free, Tam bettered his previous two performances by winning the event in 4:47.86.
Eric Haufler placed third in the 100 butterfly in 52.14, while sophomore Aaron Yeung placed third in the 400 IM in 4:20.99.
In the final event of the weekend, the Spartans won the 400 free relay with the quartet of Eric Haufler, Hudgins, McHenry and Bailey touching the wall in 3:12.76.
The Spartans return to action next Friday and Saturday, November 2-3, with the opening meets of the Cleveland City Tournament at Veale Natatorium. Day one begins at 7:30 p.m. versus Notre Dame College (Ohio).
