CMS splits with Pomona-Pitzer in final meet before SCIAC Championships
Watch Postmeet Interview (Stephanie Doi)
Watch Postmeet Interview (Joseph Hinton)
CLAREMONT, Calif. – In its final tune-up before the SCIAC Championships (Feb. 18-21), the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps swimming & diving teams closed out SCIAC dual-meet competition against rival Pomona-Pitzer on Feb. 6 at Haldeman Pool. The Stags took 11 of 16 events en route to the 174-124 victory and an 8-0 SCIAC record in dual meets.
For the Athenas, they were edged out 152-146, despite splitting the 16 events with the Sagehens. The narrow loss for the Athenas is their first loss in a conference dual meet since the 2002-03 season.
The Stags had four program top-10 swims in the meet. Two of the top-10 times came from freshman Tyler Welty (CMC – 100 and 200 breaststroke). In the 100 breaststroke he finished in second with a time of 57.83, a personal best which now ranks eighth all-time and he just missed an NCAA 'B' cut time. In the 200, Welty touched the wall in third behind freshman teammate Aaron Lutzker (HMC) who won the event and Teddy Koerner from Pomona-Pitzer. Lutzker's time of 2:05.59 was one-one hundredth of a second off a 'B' cut time and ranked fifth all-time for CMS, while Welty's time of 2:06.45 ranks seventh.
In the first men's swimming event of the meet, CMS' 200-yard medley relay team of and junior Matthew Williams (CMC), senior Zach Alleva (CMC), senior Alex Poltash (CMC) and sophomore Noah Deer (CMC) placed in second, but came away with the fifth fastest time in Stags' history at 1:32.98.
Junior Stephanie Doi (CMC) came away with a top-10 time for the Athenas. She won the 200 butterfly in 2:09.48 and improved on her 10th place time by six-one hundredths of a second. She also added wins in the 100 butterfly (57.81) and the 200 IM (2:10.28) to lead the Athenas with three victories. Williams won three events for the Stags (100 and 200 backstroke and 400 free relay). Already the CMS record holder in the 100 back, his time Saturday of 49.82 earned him a 'B' cut.
Double winners for the Stags were Poltash (200 free and 400 free relay), senior Joseph Hinton (CMC – 100 free and 400 free relay) and Lutzker (200 breast and 200 IM) while senior Matthew Valentine (HMC – 200 fly) almost came away with two wins. He won the 200 fly, but came in second place in the 100 fly by one-one hundredth of a second. Freshman Jackson Crewe (HMC) finished in first in the 500 free (4:44.97).
The Stags also took both diving events as sophomores Victor Ginelli (CMC – 3 meters) and Patrick Quarberg (CMC – 1 meter) each came away with wins. Quarberg registered a perfect dive in the 1-meter event. Junior Carli Lessard (HMC) won the 1-meter women's dive.
Besides Doi, multi-event winners for the Athenas were junior Kelly Ngo (CMC – 200 free and 400 free relay) and junior Emily McKinnon (CMC – 100 and 200 breaststroke).
The Athenas and Stags now have time to prepare for the SCIAC Championships which are Feb. 18-21 at La Mirada Splash.
By Chris Watts
Director of Athletics Communication
Claremont McKenna College
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