Oakland University Sweep Michigan State
ROCHESTER, Mich. , January 31st, 2009
Freshman Alyssa Vela earned first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 free with Oakland University eighth-place all time marks of 23.92 (a career-best) and 51.71, respectively, freshman Anders Jensen took first in the 100 backstroke (49.39) and a career-best in the 200 back (1:49.04), and junior Agnes Solan was first in both the 100 back (56.45) and 200 back ( 2:02.72) and in the 200 individual medley (2:06.15), as the OU men's and women's swimming and diving teams celebrated Senior Day on a high note by defeating visiting Michigan State University with scores of 153-145 for the men and 151-149 for the women Saturday at the OU Aquatic Center.
"Anytime you defeat a program like Michigan State, you've got to be excited," said head coach Pete Hovland. "There's a lot of history between the two programs and a meet like this will only enhance that rivalry in the future. They are a very well-coached program with a lot of tradition and pride. We're excited we came out on the top end this year, because it always seems to go back and forth between the two teams, but this time, we got the best of them."
Both the men's and women's teams took key wins in the 400 free relays to clinch their victories. The women's team of Vela, sophomore Kelli Dewey, sophomore Corey Tschannen and junior Sarah Ludema, along with the third place team of senior Tara Baxter, freshman Dana Hapanowicz, freshman Tanya Tereszczenko and freshman Nicole Salmeto touched the wall at 3:31.42 and 3:39.71, respectively, to seal the Oakland win. For the men, the first-place team of senior Andy Kellogg, senior Nicholas Bonucchi, senior Justin Veneklase and junior Marcin Unold finished with a time of 3:02.23.
Other first-place finishes for the men's team came from senior Aaron Holdsworth in the 200 fly (1:51.06), Bonucchi in the 50 free (20.74) and Kellogg in the 100 free (45.67). The men's team also won the 200 medley relay (Unold, freshman Scott Yarbrough, Holdsworth, Bonucchi) with a time of 1:31.80.
Other individual first-place finishes for the women came from senior Sophia Gustafsson, who swept both distance free events in the 1000 free (10:24.84) and 500 free (5:04.21) and freshman Johanna Gustafsson in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.55). The 200 medley relay team of Solan, Johanna Gustafsson, Ludema and Vela also took a first-place finish with a time of 1:46.02.
"We're especially excited for the seniors," said Hovland. "We have a lot of graduating seniors and to have victories against Eastern Michigan University, Notre Dame and Michigan State all in the month of January, has to make those kids feel pretty good."
With the regular season in the books, Oakland will next compete at The Summit League Championship on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 19-21 at the OU Aquatic Center.
"Anytime you defeat a program like Michigan State, you've got to be excited," said head coach Pete Hovland. "There's a lot of history between the two programs and a meet like this will only enhance that rivalry in the future. They are a very well-coached program with a lot of tradition and pride. We're excited we came out on the top end this year, because it always seems to go back and forth between the two teams, but this time, we got the best of them."
Both the men's and women's teams took key wins in the 400 free relays to clinch their victories. The women's team of Vela, sophomore Kelli Dewey, sophomore Corey Tschannen and junior Sarah Ludema, along with the third place team of senior Tara Baxter, freshman Dana Hapanowicz, freshman Tanya Tereszczenko and freshman Nicole Salmeto touched the wall at 3:31.42 and 3:39.71, respectively, to seal the Oakland win. For the men, the first-place team of senior Andy Kellogg, senior Nicholas Bonucchi, senior Justin Veneklase and junior Marcin Unold finished with a time of 3:02.23.
Other first-place finishes for the men's team came from senior Aaron Holdsworth in the 200 fly (1:51.06), Bonucchi in the 50 free (20.74) and Kellogg in the 100 free (45.67). The men's team also won the 200 medley relay (Unold, freshman Scott Yarbrough, Holdsworth, Bonucchi) with a time of 1:31.80.
Other individual first-place finishes for the women came from senior Sophia Gustafsson, who swept both distance free events in the 1000 free (10:24.84) and 500 free (5:04.21) and freshman Johanna Gustafsson in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.55). The 200 medley relay team of Solan, Johanna Gustafsson, Ludema and Vela also took a first-place finish with a time of 1:46.02.
"We're especially excited for the seniors," said Hovland. "We have a lot of graduating seniors and to have victories against Eastern Michigan University, Notre Dame and Michigan State all in the month of January, has to make those kids feel pretty good."
With the regular season in the books, Oakland will next compete at The Summit League Championship on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 19-21 at the OU Aquatic Center.
