Blue Hen Win Over George Mason

In their first meet of the season, the University of Delaware men's and women's swimming teams opened up with impressive victories over George Mason during Saturday's dual meet at the newly-refurbished Rawstrom Natatorium.

On the men's side, the squad broke a pool record in its first event of the season and eventually went on to post a 156-144 victory over George Mason. The women also came out strong, upending the Patriots by a 175-125 margin.

The men's 200-yard medley relay squad proved to be the highlight of the meet as the foursome broke the pool's 16-year old record in the event after finishing in 1:35.37. Craig Young, Grady Carter, Hans Gillan, and John Ohlhaver teamed up to shave .04 seconds off the record set by Northeastern in 1996.

For the women, Cortney Barry and Maryann Walker led the squad with two individual victories apiece. Barry paced the field in the 500- and 1000-yard freestyle events, while Walker took the top spot in the 200-free and 200-backstroke.

Carter dominated the sprint freestyles for the men, capturing the 50-yard event in 20.77 before taking the 100 in 47.61. He was followed closely by his teammates in both disciplines as Georgia transfer Hans Gillan placed second in the 50, while Robert MacLeish was the runner-up in the 100.

Gillan later came back to win the 100-yard butterfly in 51.39 before joining Ohlhaver, MacLeish, and Carter to take the crown in the 200-freestyle relay in 1:25.73.

Among other Blue Hen champions, Dominic Pavlik won the 200-free in 1:46.34 and the 200-breaststroke in 2:15.48, while Ross Buckwalter took the 100-breaststroke in 1:01.15.

For the women, Emily Smathers won the 100-backstroke with a time of 59.80, while freshman Anne Frigo kicked off her career in fine fashion after dominating the field in the 50-yard freestyle with a clocking of 24.60. Fellow first-year standout Elise Kanegawa also had a great debut, capturing the 100-butterfly in 58.98.

Frigo and Kanegawa later teamed up along with Sarah Begley and Donna Healy to win the 200-freestyle relay. They just edged out the Blue Hen foursome of Aubrey Caldwell, Meghan Barber, Jena Marrinucci, and Walker, who finished two seconds behind their teammates with a time of 1:41.70.

Both teams will return to action when they travel to Fairfax to take on George Mason, UNC Wilmington, and Towson in a two-day Pod Meet beginning on October 31.

MEN’S AGATE:

Delaware def. George Mason, 156-144

Delaware Top Finishers: 1st Place: 200-Yard Medley Relay (Young, Carter, Gillan, Ohlhaver), 1:35.37; Dominic Pavlik (200-Yard Freestyle, 1:46.34; 200-Yard Breaststroke, 2:15.48); Ross Buckwalter (100-Yard Breaststroke, 1:01.15); Grady Carter (50-Yard Freestyle, 20.77; 100-Yard Freestyle, 47.61); 200-Yard Freestyle Relay (Ohlhaver, Gillan, MacLeish, Carter), 1:25.73. 2nd Place: 200-Yard Medley Relay (Woomer, Buckwalter, Wodoslawsky, Schiavo), 1:38.40; John
Ohlhaver (100-Yard Backstroke, 52.81); Josh Hyman (100-Yard Breaststroke, 1:01.23); Ryan Carolan (200-Yard Butterfly, 1:59.91); Hans Gillan (50-Yard Freestyle, 21.80); Robert MacLeish (100-Yard Freestyle, 48.96); Craig Young (200-Yard Backstroke, 1:56.28); Craig Young (200-Yard IM, 2:00.70); 200-Yard Freestyle Relay (Losi, Bonifield, Pavlik, Schiavo), 1:28.68. 3rd Place: Zach Schiavo (200-Yard Freestyle, 1:47.40; 100-Yard Freestyle, 49.22); Craig Young (100-Yard Backstroke, 53.62); John Ohlhaver (200-Yard Backstroke, 1:56.57); Ross Buckwalter (200-Yard Breaststroke, 2:18.28); Thomas Gallagher (3-Meter Dive, 267.08).

WOMEN’S AGATE

Delaware def. George Mason, 175-125

Delaware Top Finishers: 1st Place: Cortney Barry (1000-Yard Freestyle, 10:17.73; 500-Yard Freestyle, 5:03.54); Maryann Walker (200-Yard Freestyle, 1:55.60; 200-Yard Backstroke, 2:07.11); Emily Smathers (100-Yard Backstroke, 59.80); Anne Frigo (50-Yard Freestyle, 24.60); Elise Kanegawa (100-Yard
Butterfly, 58.98); 200-Yard Freestyle Relay (Begley, Frigo, Kanegawa, Healy), 1:39.78. 2nd Place: 200-Yard Medley Relay (Smathers, Pastore, Kanegawa, Healy), 1:47.37; Lauren Guntner (1000-Yard Freestyle, 10:33.56; 500-Yard Freestyle, 5:09.68); Meghan Barber (100-Yard Breaststroke, 1:07.54); Kailey Pelton (200-Yard Butterfly, 2:10.08); Emily Watts (200-Yard Backstroke, 2:09.41); Marianne Flynn (200-Yard Breaststroke, 2:25.37); Maryann Walker (200-Yard IM, 2:11.91); 200-Yard Freestyle Relay (Caldwell, Barber, Marrinucci, Walker), 1:41.70. 3rd Place: 200-Yard Medley Relay (Caldwell, Flynn, Begley, Frigo), 1:50.63; Stephanie Dodd (1000-Yard Freestyle, 10:36.82; 500-Yard Freestyle, 5:10.82); Donna Healy (200-Yard Freestyle, 1:57.32); Emily Watts (100-Yard Backstroke, 1:00.80); Hannah Facchine (100-Yard Breaststroke, 1:07.63); Kiley Friedrich (200-Yard Butterfly, 2:11.72); Elise Kanegawa (50-Yard Freestyle, 25.59); Shannon Burke (1-Meter Dive, 208.43; 3-Meter Dive, 215.40); Donna Healy (100-Yard Freestyle, 54.38); Emily Smathers (200-Yard Backstroke, 2:09.67); Kellie Pastore (200-Yard Breaststroke, 2:25.92); Sarah Begley (100-Yard Butterfly, 1:00.10); Lauren Guntner (200-Yard IM, 2:12.07).