It would be tough to think of a better way for the Florida Tech men’s team to send out its senior class than the 199-63 onslaught over Rollins put forth Saturday on Senior Day at the Panther Aquatic Center.
The FIT women also produced their best team result of the season, coming up just short of the year’s first win in a 132-126 defeat to the Tars.
The Panthers had 15 swimmers competing in their final home meet in Michael Brandt, Brian Dumont, Michael Green, Ben Hoerlein, Laura Holty, Ross Hudson, Stuart Jamieson, Sean Kohn, Schelli Linz, Carmen Montalvo, Chris Morrison, Shelby Pearce, Maddie Poon, Liana Soileau and Oz Wasserman.
The Panther men claimed every single one of the 14 events, with many second and third place finishes to their credit as well. The meet began with Eric Berg, Dumont, Nir Barnea and Edward Ilako claiming the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:35.83. The Panthers ended up sweeping the podium in the event.
Yagoh Kubagawa was the fastest man in the 1,000 free, making his final touch in 9:55.12. Fellow Brazilian Victor Rocha Furtado joined the fun with a 1:44.53 showing in the 200-yard freestyle for first-place.
FIT also swept the top-three spots in the 100 back, with Tyler Phelps taking the event with a 54.42. Dumont picked up his second win of the day in the 100 breast, timing in at 1:00.25. Freshman Adi Davidov got on the board with a 1:55.71 in the 200 fly, over three seconds faster than the second-place finisher, teammate Nathan Hufnagel.
Barnea was back in action in the 50-yard freestyle, taking the event with a time of 20.96. Logan Szarka followed up with a win in the 100-yard freestyle, setting a 47.93, just a hundredth of a second quicker than Filip Dujmic.
In the 200 back, Phelps again claimed victory with a 1:58.53, while Dumont snagged his third title with a 2:14.18 in the 200-yard breaststroke.
Emanuele Rossi’s 4:48.51 was good enough for the win in the 500 free, while Rocha Furtado timed in at 50.39 for the 100-yard butterfly title. Not to be outdone by his countryman, Kubagawa matched the win with a victory of his own in the 200 IM (1:57.82).
The men wrapped up the meet with a win in the 200 free relay as Rocha Furtado, Dujmic, Jonah Rieman and Ilako registered a time of 1:24.95.
On the women’s side, Pearce recorded the first win of the day for FIT with a 2:01.17 in the 200-yard freestyle. Paulina Bjorkbacka made it back-to-back event titles for the Panthers, taking the 100 back in 1:01.66, just a tenth of a second quicker than Julie Coen.
Lauren Suarez picked up her first of two event wins on the day in the 50 free, timing in at 24.62. Suarez also claimed the 100 free, setting a time of 54.47.
Coen won the 200-yard backstroke in 2:12.17 and this time it was Bjorkbacka finishing runner-up with a 2:14.73. Trista Phelps was the quickest in the 100 fly, timing in at 1:01.14.
Pearce again topped the podium in the 200 IM with a time of 2:15.26, while the 200 free relay team of Suarez, Mary Ida Spradlin, Bjorkbacka and Phelps gave FIT its final win, timing in at 1:42.73.
With the regular season concluded, the Panthers turn their attention to the Sunshine State Conference Championships, slated for Feb. 18-21 in Orlando, Florida.
