Towson Splits with Delaware

Despite a first place finish by junior Zac Jelinek (Great Valley H.S./Malvern, Pa.), the Towson University men’s swimming and diving team dropped a 218-66 Colonial Athletic Association decision against the University of Delaware at the Tigers’ Burdick Pool on Saturday afternoon.

It was the Tigers’ first meet since competing at the Maryland Invitational in late November.

Jelinek placed first in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:02.24 and also had a fourth place effort in the 50-yard freestyle (22.09).

Sophomore Joe Mills (Cedarbrook Academy/Laurel, Md.) had a second place finish in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:05.42 along with a pair of fourth place efforts in the 100-yard backstroke (55.78) and 200-yard backstroke (2:00.78) events.

Junior Wesley Foltz (Chapel Hill H.S./Chapel Hill, N.C.) placed second in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:55.91 while sophomore Ryan Westhafer (Bayard Rustin H.S./West Chester, Pa.) took third place in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.64.

Junior Cory Ornstein (Sherwood H.S./Olney, Md.) earned third place in the 1650-yard freestyle with a time of 17:00.79.

The Tigers also finished first in the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:26.74.

The Tigers will start a four-meet road trip next Saturday when they travel to George Mason for a 1 p.m. CAA dual meet against the Patriots.

The University of Delaware men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads got back to the rigor of their Colonial Athletic Association schedule on Saturday, as they split a pair of decisions against Towson with the men winning 218-66, while the women dropped the meet 200-100 in Burdick’s Hall Memorial Pool. 

 

The Blue Hen men (7-1, 4-1 CAA) swept eight events, in addition to the 200-yard medley relay in which they took the top three times, but only two count for points. They took the top three podium position in the 200-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard breaststroke, 500-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard butterfly. The last six sweeps were in succession, as the team closed out their points with the 100-yard butterfly. 

 

Senior Zach Schiavo paced the Blue Hens with three first place finishes. The team ended the meet winning 14 of 16 events. Schiavo started the Blue Hens off on the right foot with the first event of the day in the 200-yard medley relay. He was the anchor of the winning team in 1:33.35. He then posted first place finished in the 50-yard freestyle (21.48) and the 100-yard freestyle (47.38). Ryan Roberts had two first place finishes to back up Schiavo. Roberts swept the backstroke events, touching home in 57.01 in the 100-yard and 1:53.13 in the 200-yard. 

 

The women (6-3, 3-3 CAA) jumped out to a fast start, taking first and third place in the opening 200-yard medley relay event in 1:48.70 but could not hang on as the 2010 CAA Champion Tigers had too much depth to overcome. 

 

After the 200-yard medley relay, Donna Healy and Meghan Barber took second and third in the 200-yard freestyle to keep it interesting early. But, the Blue Hens did not place two in the top three again until the 23rd event when Tori Gillespie and Elise Kanegawa placed second and third in the 100-yard butterfly. The women ended strong with the 400-yard freestyle relay, as they also placed second and third in the final swimming events of the day. 

 

Courtney Raw continues her impressive sophomore season as she led the Blue Hens with three first place finishes, also adding a third place posting. Raw was the opening leg of the 200-yard medley relay team, as she also swept the backstroke events. She won the 100-yard in 59.16 before placing first in the 200-yard in 2:09.36. She capped off her day as the second leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay team that placed third in 3:42.36.

 

Barber finished her day with a second place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay team that finished in 3:39.85 and two third place finishes. She swam the 200-yard freestyle in 1:46.04 and the 200-individual medley in 2:13.15, both good enough for third.

 

Both Blue Hen teams return to action next Saturday, January 15, as they travel to Drexel for a CAA battle starting at noon.