The 17th-ranked Case Western Reserve University men's swimming and diving team and the 20th-ranked women's squad each split a tri meet in Gambier, Ohio on Saturday afternoon. The men defeated Ohio Northern University 220-75 and suffered a 226-73 setback to fourth-ranked Kenyon, while the women topped Ohio Northern 238-58, and fell to top-ranked Kenyon 216-84.
Following the split, the CWRU men now stand at 3-3 on the year, while the women are now 5-1. Kenyon's men improved to 4-0 and their women now stand at 5-0. Ohio Northern's men's team dropped to 3-3 on the year, and its women fell to 3-4.
First-year Abigail Wilkov led the Spartans, winning both diving events at the meet. She claimed first in the one-meter dive with a score of 247.00 and won the three-meter dive with a score of 244.50.
CWRU's only other first-place finish came on the men's side of the meet from first-year Peter Meng, who won the 400 IM with a time of 4:02.10. Meng was also the team's top finisher in the 1000 free with a time of 9:31.76, placing second overall in the event.
First-year Kate Menzer recorded a pair of individual second-place finishes, coming in as the runner-up in both the 100 breast (1:08.24) and 100 fly (59.19), while also placing second as a part of the 200 free relay with first-years Gabriella Chambers, Nara Lee and Simone Vale (1:39.66), and third as a part of the 200 medley relay with Vale, first-year Caroline Schlessman, and Chambers.
Vale was the Spartans' top finisher in both the 100 back (third, 59.86) and 100 free (sixth, 54.86), and first-year Isabel Verheyen was the team's top placer in both the 200 free (sixth, 2:00.03) and 400 IM (fifth, 4:43.29). Junior Johanna Pearson led the Spartans with a third-place finish in both the 1000 free (11:07.39) and 500 free (5:23.50). Other top finishers for the Spartan women on Saturday included junior Abby Halsdorfer in the 200 fly (third, 2:13.29), Lee in the 50 free (fifth, 25.46), first-year Elishka Bailey in the 200 back (second, 2:08.30) and first-year Ally Solomon in the 200 breast (2:33.54).
For the men, sophomore Ethan Chuang placed second in the 100 breast with a time of 57.67, and finished third in the 200 back with a mark of 1:58.33. Chuang also joined senior Ryan Gilbert, first-year Jackson Pollard and junior Campbell Patterson on CWRU's third-place 200 medley relay (1:35.99).
Junior Xander Guerrero notched a pair of individual third-place finishes in the 200 free (1:44.95) and 500 free (4:48.97), while senior Calvin Tecson placed third in the 50 free (21.91) and junior Connor Chignell finished third in the 200 back (1:58.33) and fourth in the 100 back (54.11). First-year Trevor Elliott was the team's top finisher in both diving events, placing fifth in the one-meter dive (221.6) and three-meter dive (194.35).
Other top finishers for the Spartan men on Saturday included junior Andrew Smith in the 200 fly (fourth, 1:58.94), first-year Ben Zuo in the 100 free (seventh, 48.44), Pollard in the 100 fly (sixth, 52.20) and the 200 free relay team of Gilbert, first-year Cole Davin, Zuo and first-year Stephen Hogeman (fifth, 1:27.36).
Case Western Reserve will be returning home to the Veale Natatorium next week for the team's final dual meet of the season, as the Spartans will host Baldwin Wallace University on Saturday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m. Prior to the start of the meet, CWRU will also be recognizing its graduating team members with a special 'Senior Day' ceremony.
