CMS Opens Dual Meet Season At UC San Diego

After starting the season with resounding wins at the Logger Relays in Federal Way, Washington, last week, the CMS Stag and Athena swimming and diving teams opened their dual meet campaigns at UC-San Diego on Saturday, October 29.

The NCAA Division II power Tritons beat CMS 177-111 in the men's contest and 175-112 in the women's meet.  Athena sophomore Michele Kee pulled out CMS's lone victory of the day, out-touching the field in the 100 yard freestyle with at time of 53.78.

While event victories were in short supply, CMS posted several impressive early season performances.

In the distance races, CMC frosh LillyBelle Deer finished second in both the 1000 and 500 yard freestyles with times of 10:43.58 and 5:16.00.  For the Stags, Alex Mendoza placed second in the 1000 in 9:55.04, while fellow frosh Devin Nishizaki negative-split his 500 yard freestyle, finishing third in 4:52.41.

Athena sophomore Helen Liu was only .06 behind first in the 50 yard freestyle, but still broke the 25-second barrier with a time of 24.91 in the splash and dash.  First-year Stag Cameron Whiting notched a personal record in the 200 yard freestyle, narrowly finishing behind UCSD's second place finisher with a time of 1:44.76.  Breaststroke star, Vincent Pai picked up silver medals in both the 100 and 200 yard breast events and diver James Stevick was second on the 3-meter board.

CMS saved its most exciting race for last, as the Stag relay of Cameron Whiting, Devin Bowers, Jeff McNerney and Patrick Shultz raced UCSD stroke for stroke for 350 yards, before UCSD's anchor-leg pulled away.  The quartet's time of 3:11.13 ranks among the top 400 free relays logged in NCAA D-III so far this season.