REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Swimming & Diving teams hosted their final home meet at the Thompson Aquatic Center Saturday taking on Whittier College and California Lutheran University in a SCIAC Tri-Meet.
The Bulldog women had a big day sweeping the competition going 2-0 beating Whittier College (196-70) and Cal Lutheran (188-77). The men on the other side split on the day beating Whittier College (135-100) before falling to Cal Lutheran (154-81).
Prior to the meet Head Coach Leslie Whittemore and the rest of the Swim & Dive program recognized the 14 seniors who were taking part in their final home meet of their career. These seniors included Tom Jansen (Pleasant Hill, CA), Mary Tanouye (Kiel, WI), Madison Southmayd (Anthem, AZ), Kayla Smith (Redlands, CA), Jacqueline Setlich (Laguna Niguel, CA), Courtney Prefontaine (San Clemente, CA), Hanna Parker (Seattle, WA), Makenna Parenti (Rocklin, CA), Anna O'Meara (Clovis, CA), Sydney Nakagawa (Vancouver, WA), Erin McGrellis (Wilmington, DE), Emily Heaston (Corona, CA), Chessie Briggs (Tacoma, WA), and Sarah Martin (Tualatin, OR).
The Maroon and Grey combined for twelve victories on the day, ten of which came on the women's side.
Women
Sydney Patterson (Hilo, HI) continues with her dominance on the boards as she won both the 1-Meter and 3-Meter events for the third consecutive week. She posted a 222.90 on the 1-meter before taking home the top mark on the 3-meter with a 278.40.
Nakagawa then came up with big points in the 100 Backstroke touching in at a 1:00.80 to win the event, two seconds in front of the second place finisher. Gaby Hayon (Agoura Hills, CA) was right behind her in the same event taking 3rd with a 1:02.78, while Lauren Kline (Parker, CO) and Sydney Britton (Tacoma, WA) went 5-6 with times of 1:03.54 and 1:05.68. Southmayd, Madison Petschauer (Cary, NC), and Parker went 1-2-3 in the 100 Breast dominating for Redlands posting times of 1:06.84, 1:07.12, and 1:07.15, respectively.
Parenti got her first action in the 100 Fly winning the event with a 59.26, while her teammates Abby Springer (Paso Robles, CA), Sarah Szafranski (Houston, TX), and Setlich would finish 3rd (1:01.84) – 4th (1:02.86) – 5th (1:02.94). In the distance, Emma Jones (Atlanta, GA) was the top finisher for UR taking 2nd in the 1650 Free with a 19:30.42. Hayon then returned in the 200 Free finishing 2nd with a 2:02.05, while Springer went 4th with a 2:04.51. Szafranski took part in the 200 Fly, one of her top events and she touched first with a 2:15.77, five seconds faster than the next finisher. Smith also took part in the 200 Fly and she finished 3rd with a 2:30.59.
Nakagawa shined in the 100 Free taking 2nd with a 55.04, right in front of Petschauer who took 3rd (55.31). The depth of the team showed in the 200 Back as the Bulldogs went 3-4-5-6-7 in the event led by Hayon who posted a 2:16.45. She was followed by Kline (4th – 2:17.22), Springer (5th – 2:18.08), Britton (6th – 2:19.29), and Prefontaine (7th – 2:21.54).
The second distance event, the 500 Free, Andrea Brenstrom (Shrewsbury, MA) led the U of R taking 2nd with a 5:31.09. Setlich followed in 3rd with a 5:35.55 and Heaston touched in at a 5:45.33 to finish 4th. Nakagawa emerged out of the two flights in the 50 Free winning the event with a 24.96 edging out Parenti who took 2nd with a 25.14. Petschauer and Southmayd then took part in the 200 IM, and they combined to go 1-2 with times of 2:12.13 and 2:18.27. Parker then had a strong race in the 200 Breast to wrap up the individual competition winning with a time of 2:31.63. In the final event, the 200 Free Relay, the 'A' team of Setlich, Parenti, Petschauer, and Nakagawa created fireworks staying tight with CLU throughout before pulling away on the final leg thanks to Nakagawa who swam a 24.46 giving them the victory posting a time of 1:41.24.
Men
Blake Eddow (Corona, CA) got the first points for the men in the 100 Back finishing 3rd with a 55.52. Thomas Long (Brea, CA) would then go 5th in the 100 Breast (1:02.16) leading into Lucas Walker (Mountain View, CA) and the first win for the Maroon and Grey in the 100 Fly with a time of 51.93. Memphis Gile (Redlands, CA) swam well in the same event taking 4th with a time of 54.17. In the 1650 Free, CLU would come out on top 1-2, but Davis Wingard (Springfield, OR) was right in the mix taking 3rd with a 17:25.99.
T. Long and Ron Gvishi (Albany, CA) would pair up in the 200 Free going 4-5 with times of 1:48.05 and 1:48.62. Gile returned in the 200 Fly to take 2nd with an impressive mark of 2:02.15. Drew Heaston (Corona, CA) pressured CLU in the 100 Free taking 2nd with a 48.15 and saw his teammates Gvishi, Jack Forsythe (Ladera Ranch, CA), Dan Bajda (Lombard, IL), and Chris Loudon (Anchorage, AL) go 6-7-8-9.
Walker took part in the 200 Back and shined in the event with a 2nd place finish with a time of 1:59.46. Jansen then took part in the 500 Free and competed against CLU's Stephen Blaauw and Cole Weiderman taking 3rd with a 4:51.82.
Eddow (2nd – 21.78), Gile (4th – 21.99), and Forsythe (6th – 22.28) were the top finishers in the 50 Free. Heaston then returned in the 200 IM and took the top time with a 1:59.16. Walker then took 2nd in the 200 Breast (2:06.98) joined by Wingard who took 6th (2:15.27).
Then to wrap up the day, the 'A' team in the 200 Free Relay, consisting of Forsythe, Eddow, Gile, and Bajda would come in touching 2nd with a time of 1:27.69.
Redlands has two weeks to prepare for the SCIAC Championships set to take place on February 16-19 at Splash (La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center). Sydney Patterson though will be competing next weekend, February 12-13 at the SCIAC Diving Championships, hosted by Cal Lutheran University.
