Florida Tech’s men have won three straight meets for the first time in the program’s three years after defeating Savannah College of Art and Design 146-116 on Saturday at the Panther Aquatic Center. The women, however, came up short by a 170-92 score.
The Panther men improve to 5-3 on the season with the victory and the women are now 3-6. The Bees fall to 0-4 on the men’s side and up their record to 1-4 on the women’s side.
“The men’s team had a great win after a tough week of training and several were fighting illness,” head coach Jeni Ritter said. “The women’s team continues to improve with not only season-best times, but also personal bests. I look forward to the team racing hard next week at Saint Leo and then against Rollins the following day here at home.”
Brian Dumont and Victor Westerlund led the men with two wins each. Dumont won the 100-yard breaststroke at 59.39 and the 200-yard breaststroke by more than three seconds at 2:09.53. Westerlund excelled in his freestyle events, claiming the 200 at 1:44.66 and the 100 at 47.48.
Takashi Worrell was victorious in the 200-yard butterfly and set a new program record in the event with a mark of 1:53.85. He also finished second in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:37.80.
Tyler Phelps registered three second-place finishes, one with his relay team and two as an individual. He joined Dumont, Steven Moodie and Jonah Rieman for the 200-yard medley relay and finished second at 1:37.59. He then earned second place in the 200-yard backstroke at 1:58.66 and the 200-yard IM at 2:00.06. He wrapped up the day coming in third in the 100-yard backstroke at 54.05.
The Panthers ended the meet by touching the timing pad first in the 200-yard freestyle relay at 1:26.61. Racing for FIT was Logan Szarka, Rieman, Moodie and Nir Barnea.
Bernie Murphy and Lauren Suarez carried the torch for the FIT women. Murphy emerged as the victor in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:59.21. Suarez won the 100-yard backstroke just ahead of teammate Dar Raz at 1:00.86. Suarez also took second in the 100-yard freestyle at 54.86.
Murphy and Suarez swam together in the last event of the women’s meet, the 200-yard freestyle relay. Like the men, they won at 1:41.77. Kristen Jones and Liana Soileau were also part of the Panthers’ winning relay team.
Carmen Montalvo earned a couple second-place finishes in the 1,000-yard freestyle at 10:52.39 and in the 500-yard freestyle at 5:18.93. Raz collected two second-place marks as well with the second coming in the 200-yard backstroke at 2:11.08.
FIT will travel to Saint Leo on Friday, Jan. 17 to race against the Lions at 3 p.m. The women will also compete against Lynn in the meet. The following day on Saturday, Jan. 18, the Panthers will compete for the last time at the Panther Aquatic Center this season against Rollins. Start time is set for 11 a.m. Prior to the meet, the Panthers will recognize their seniors as part of Senior Day.
