Northwest Conference Swimming
Men: Pacific Lutheran 138, Pacific 59
Women: Pacific Lutheran 145, Pacific 48

Rowena Manabat (So., Ketchikan, Alaska), Alex Prigge (Jr., Ellensburg, Wash.), Brandan Mantei (Fr., Canby, Ore.) and Sam Watanuki (So., Denver, Colo.) all won events and the men¹s 400-yard freestyle relay set a school record to lead Pacific in their Northwest Conference swimming dual with Pacific Lutheran Friday night at the Forest Grove Aquatic Center.

Manabat led the way for the Pacific women by winning her first race of the season going away in the 50-yard freestyle. Manabat¹s time of 27.23 seconds was over a second better than Alison Burchett, who hit the wall in 28.33 seconds.

Prigge picked up her first victory of the season in the distance events, picking up an easy win in the 500-yard freestyle. Prigge¹s time of 5:44.29 was 21 seconds better than PLU¹s Molly Tonder.

Mantei, meanwhile, added another victory to his young Pacific season, winning the men¹s 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:50.57. Watanuki also posted an easy victory in the men¹s 200-yard backstroke with his time of 2:13.18, three seconds better than PLU¹s Ben Lilley.

The men¹s 400-yard freestyle relay, comprised of Scott Kimura (Fr., McMinnville, Ore.), Kai Seixas (So., San Pedro, Calif.), Mantei and Smith came back from behind to take the final race of the night. The winning time of 3:27.12 surpassed the Boxers¹ old record in the event of 3:28.05 set in 2004 by the team of Watanuki, Ray Hargreaves, Smith and Joe Nannini.

The highlights could not hold off the sheer numbers of the Pacific Lutheran squad in the team race. The Lutes¹ men beat the Boxers 138-59, while the PLU women won by a score of 145-48.

Nathan Smith (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.) saw his 14-race win streak in NWC duals ended when he was edged out at the wall in the 50-yard freestyle by PLU¹s Ben Lilley. Lilley won out at the wall in a very close heat between the three swimmers, finishing first in 22.68. Smith finished second in 22.78 seconds while Andy Stetzler was third in 22.95 seconds.

Jay Jones led the PLU men with a pair of victories, taking top honors in the 400-yard individual medley (4:27.56) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:17.00). Jessie Klauder placed the Lutes¹ women with a pair of victories, winning the 400-yard individual medley (4:50.95) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:35.41).

Pacific returns to action in the home waters Saturday with a 1:00 p.m., dual with Puget Sound. Pacific Lutheran travels south to face Linfield.