Despite junior Colton Bridge (Tolland, Conn./Tolland HS) sweeping the two diving events, the Bentley University men’s swimming and diving team dropped a 173-122 decision to WPI Wednesday evening at the Dana Center. It was the opening dual meet of the season for the Falcons.
Bridge posted winning scores of 253.94 in the one-meter and 237.45 in the three-meter. Both were relatively close competitions with winning margins of 12.44 and 13.72, respectively.
Bentley’s other win came in the 50 yard freestyle with junior Sebastian Bury (Bellevue, Wash./ Newport Senior HS) finishing in 22.40 seconds, besting the Engineers’ Benjamin List by 0.42 seconds. Bury also picked up a second-place finish with a time of 50.16 seconds in the 100 free, and was part of the Falcons’ 400 free relay that was second in 3:20.65. That quartet also included freshman Chris Vukas (Randolph, N.J./Randolph HS), sophomore Davis Wilson (Ransom Canyon, Texas/Lubbock HS) and junior Tim Connolly (Dorchester/Boston Latin Acad.).
Vukas was also second in the 100 backstroke (55.67) and classmate Alden Karam (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) took second in the 500 free (5:06.35).
Swimming in their first dual meet as collegians, freshmen Emily Niemiec (Meriden, Conn./Francis T. Maloney HS) and Anne Warren (Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron HS) each won an event while competing for the Bentley University women’s swimming team against WPI at the Dana Center Wednesday night.
Those were the only two wins posted by the Falcons, who dropped a 183-108 decision to the Engineers.
Niemiec was first to the wall in the 200 yard breaststroke, finishing in 2:36.23, while Warren earned her victory in the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:16.87. Niemiec was also second in the 200 individual medley (2:13.83) and part of the Falcons’ 200 medley relay that placed second (1:57.32).
Including both relays, Bentley placed second in ten of 16 events. Senior Nadine Edwards (Danbury, Conn./Danbury HS) was involved in three of those: 200 freestyle (2:03.87), 500 free (5:30.13) and the 400 free relay (3:48.09).
Senior Paige Wilde (Naugatuck, Conn./Holy Cross HS) took second in both diving events, posting scores of 226.19 (one meter) and 232.79 (three meter).
The other individual seconds were recorded by junior Kelly Culkin (Avon, Conn./Avon HS) in the 1000 free (11:18.12), senior Danielle Hellstern (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug HS) in the 50 free (26.32) and freshman Jessica Chen (Darien, Conn./Darien HS) in the 100 free (57.13).
Bentley is also at home for its next meet, Sunday afternoon against Le Moyne College (1 pm). The Falcons will be back in the Dana Center pool on Sunday for a 1 pm meet against Le Moyne College.
