Boxers Gain Historic Swimming Sweep Over Willamette

For the first time in the program's modern history, the Pacific swim teams completed a dual meet sweep as they won both sides of their Northwest Conference dual with Willamette Friday night at the Willamette Natatorium.

The Boxer women used two victories each from Becky Hattersley (Fr., Clancy, Mont.) and Kristin Favillo (Fr., Caldwell, Idaho), along with a sweep of the relays, to beat the Bearcats 109-87.  It was the second straight dual meet victory for the Boxers and evened their overall record to 4-4.

Pacific's men, meanwhile, also swept both relay races and used victories from Brandan Mantei (So., Canby, Ore.), Kai Seixas (Jr., San Pedro, Calif.) and Sam Watanuki (Jr., Denver, Colo.) to edge out an 88-85 decision.  The win improved the Boxers to 2-5 in duals.

The women won seven of 11 events. Hattersley was a dual-event winner, winning the 50-yard freestyle in 26.51 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 57.38 seconds.  Favillo, meanwhile, captured the 200-yard freestyle in 2:06.69 and the 10-yard breaststroke in 1:15.75.  Eileen Bringman (So., Cleveland, Ohio) was a winner in the 100-yard backstroke, recording a season best of 1:15.75.  The Boxers also won the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 2:03.18 and the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:50.25.

Pacific's men captured six of 11 events and benefited from having more numbers than the Bearcats had on their roster. Mantei led the way with two victories.  He set a school record by winning the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:03.53, surpassing the old mark set by Nathan Smith of 1:03.54 set in 2005.  Mantei also won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:50.34.

Seixas posted a 10-second best in the 1,000-yard freestyle, winning the event in 11:29.55.  Watanuki, meanwhile, captured the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 58.62.  The Boxers bookended the meet with victories in the 200-yard medley relay (1:47.22) and the 200-yard medley relay (1:39.83).

Pacific will wrap up the 2008-09 dual meet season at home on Saturday, hosting Linfield at 1 p.m. at the Forest Grove Aquatic Center.