Westminster Sweeps Lewis & Clark, Occidental

After training outdoors in San Diego and Los Angeles since Jan. 3, the Westminster College men's and women's swimming and diving teams swept a double dual meet at Occidental with Lewis & Clark Tuesday in Los Angeles. The Titan men defeated Occidental, 156-91, and Lewis & Clark, 145-104, while the Titan women beat Occidental, 177-77, and Lewis & Clark, 152-108.

The Titan men are now 6-1 in dual meets this year and the Titan women are now 6-2 in dual meets.

In a meet held outdoors with chilly temperatures and overcast skies, Westminster won a combined 18 out of 28 events. The Titan men won nine events, not counting two events in which they posted exhibitions times that were faster than the winners. The Titan women captured nine events.

Junior Caitlin Lehberger (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) accounted for four wins, including the 100-yard individual medley (1:02.32), the 100 (54.69) and 200 (1:59.11) freestyles, and the anchor leg of the 200 medley relay (1:54.44).

Junior Sierra Beecher (Newville, Pa./Big Spring) captured three individual events, the 100 butterfly (1:02.98), the 500 freestyle (5:31.56) and the 1000 freestyle (11:21.32).

Senior Courtney Herdt (Beaver Falls, Pa./Beaver Falls), who swam on the winning 200 medley relay, touched first in the 50 (31.24) and 100 (1:08.11) breaststrokes.

Juniors Mike Barringer (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) and Mark Brooks (Youngstown, Ohio/Boardman) led the way for the Titan men with three event wins apiece, including both accounting for half of the 200 medley relay (1:41.47). Barringer also captured the 50 (22.54) and 100 (48.97) freestyles and his exhibition time in the 100 IM (56.49) was faster than the first-place finisher. Brooks also won the 200 freestyle (1:53.03) and the 100 backstroke (57.18).

Other individual winners for the Titans included freshman Jake Scherer (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) winning the 500 (5:11.40) and 1000 (10:43.61) freestyles. Junior Todd Slobodnyak (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) captured the 50 backstroke (26.30) and sophomore Alan Nedley (White, Pa./Connellsville) won the 100 butterfly (54.11) while his exhibition time in the 50 butterfly (24.48) was a meet best.

Westminster's next meet is Jan. 22 at Carnegie Mellon with SUNY Geneseo at 1 p.m.