Results
Carlisle, PA – The Messiah men's and women's swim teams traveled to Dickinson College Tuesday evening to compete in their first meet in over two weeks. The contest was originally scheduled as a “home” meet for the Falcons, but due to ongoing renovations of Fredricksen Natatorium, the contest was moved to the Kline Center on Dickinson's campus.
The change of venue did not favor the Falcons as the women were defeated 75.5-120.5 and the men's side had a similar fate, falling 68-128.
Despite the outcome, the Falcons boasted several impressive accomplishments.
Freshman Hanna Schaffer finished second and set a new school record in the 50-yard freestyle – breaking her own record of :25.98, set on October 30, 2010 - with a time of :25.55. Schaffer, a Mechanicsburg, Pa. native, took the only top prize for the women (1-5, 0-2) in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of :57.67.
“Hanna had great swims today,” Messiah head coach Nancy Luley said. “I think she will keep breaking (the 50-free) record throughout the season and she was so close to getting the 100, too. I bet she'll break that one soon.”
Set during Messiah's inaugural season, the 100-yard freestyle record currently belongs to Sara Steinnagel. The record time of :57.10 was set on November 15, 2008 during the Elizabethtown College Tri-Meet, which also featured Susquehanna University.
Junior Ashley Bell swam to a tie in the 200-yard freestyle with Dickinson (6-2) sophomore Lauren Sullivan. Their times of 2:10.86 were good enough to earn third.
Other notable races for the Falcon women included sophomore Molly Handley's second place finish behind Dickinson freshman Rachel Williams in the 100-yard butterfly. Williams touched in at 1:03.10, while Handley was not far behind at 1:05.50.
In the final individual event for the women, the 100-yard breaststroke, the Falcons finished third and fourth behind the exhibition swims of Dickinson. Sophomore Angela Klaczak took third with a time of 1:15.88, while senior Emily Westerberg's time of 1:20.48 was good enough for fourth.
The women finished the evening placing second in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Freshmen Cassie Forman and Christina Ashman combined with Bell and Schaffer to narrowly overtake the Red Devils with a time of 1:49.28. Dickinson led through the first three splits, but Schaffer quickly closed the gap and reached the wall just :00.10 before Dickinson sophomore Anna Alburger.
“This was a nice swim on their part,” Luley said. “They pushed it and just touched before Dickinson's second group.”
On the men's side (2-4, 1-1), freshman Daniel Wingert had a solid day in the pool as the lone event winner, swimming his best time of the season in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:13.58. Wingert's time of 1:04.29 earned him a second place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke, while junior Zachary McArdle was close behind at 1:04.95 for third.
Wingert and McArdle combined with sophomores Spenser Warren and Tim Alarcon to place third in the 200-yard medley relay. McArdle anchored the relay which finished in a time of 1:45.22.
Freshman Joe Hines rounded out the third place finishes for the men in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of :53.05.
The main event of the meet took place in the men's 100-yard backstroke. Warren and Dickinson (5-1) freshman Andrew Barrett battled it out for the top prize. Barrett took the early lead, but Warren made up necessary ground to take the lead at the second split. Barrett eventually overtook Warren for first with a time of :59.91, while Warren finished at 1:00.05.
“(Spenser) had a great swim, but he was just touched out,” Luley said. “It was a fun race to watch.”
In the same event, junior Matthew Wells earned a MAC qualifying time (1:04.48), coming in fourth.
As the semester draws to an end, Coach Luley and her Falcons focus their attention on Saturday's Commonwealth Conference match-up with Lycoming College.
“Saturday is a big meet for us,” Luley said. “We have to be strategic going into Lycoming. There are a few events that we have a slight advantage, but others will be really close. It's a good meet right before Christmas break.”
The meet will take place in the Lamade Gym Pool on Lycoming's campus with a start time of 1 p.m.
