The University of Redlands swimming & diving programs jumped into the 2014-15 season on Saturday by traveling to Cal Baptist University for its own UR October Invitational. While competing against Whittier College and the home school, the Bulldogs' newest crew of talent took to the pool, as the team collected five event-wins and 12 additional top-three performances.
In terms of team scoring, both Bulldog squads defeated Whittier College but fell to Cal Baptist University.
The Redlands men gained four first-place showings during the day, with senior Eric LoPrete (Beaverton, OR) taking two of them, while senior Jeff Depew (Naperville, IL) and freshman Corey Winter (Ripon, CA) secured one apiece. LoPrete uncorked a top time of 22.12 in the 50 Free before out-touching the competition in the 100 Free with a time of 48.39. Freshman Brian Wright (Kent, WA) joined him on the podium of the longer race, earning third place with a mark of 48.62.
In the 200 Back, Winter led a one-two punch for the Bulldogs with his first-place time of 2:03.97. Freshman Nick Gambatese (Corvallie, OR) completed the race in 2:08.00 for third place.
Depew headlined the butterfly events, winning the 100 race with a time of 52.25 while also taking second in the 200 with a mark of 1:52.02.
In addition, the Bulldogs gained a two-three showing in the 100 Back, with sophomore Will Tyrell (Portland, OR) finishing second (54.79) and sophomore Eric Bugna (Vancouver, WA) touching the wall in third place (56.23).
Finally, the men capped off a solid day in the pool with a second-place performance in the 200 Free Relay. The quartet of junior Patrick Fink (San Pedro, CA), Bugna, freshman Nicholas Reed (Los Altos, CA), and Tyrell joined talents for a time of 1:30.52.
The women's 200 Free Relay also impressed with the squad's only event-win of the day. Freshman Emily Waddell (Bellevue, WA), junior Lauren Robeznieks (Tigard, OR), senior Summer Harp (Redlands, CA), and sophomore Ellie Jaques (Covina, CA) fired off a time of 1:42.48 to finish first in the final race of the meet.
The start of the competition saw the quartet of Jaques, sophomore Jessica Rivers (Renton, WA), freshman Olivia Rock (Boulder, CO), and Harp put together a third-place effort in the 200 Medley Relay by touching the wall in 1:55.65.
Robeznieks also took third in the 200 Free (2:04.93), while Jaques finished second in the 50 Free (25.32).
In addition, freshman Emily Mabrouk (Aurora, IL) completed the 200 Fly with a second-place time of 2:14.28 and freshman Rachel Haney (Redmond, OR) made her way onto the podium for the 100 Back with a time of 1:00.72 for third place.
Redlands looks forward to hosting the Bulldog Pentathlon on Sat., Nov. 8, at 9 a.m. in the Thompson Aquatic Center.