VMI Men
John Kelly, Christian Shaner and Jake Boulter posted A cuts for the ECAC Championships, but the VMI Keydets dropped a 171-109 decision to the Washington & Lee Generals in men's swimming and diving action Saturday in Lexington, Va.
Kelly posted two individual podium finishes on the afternoon and made an ECAC cut in both. The fifth-year senior was second in the 50 free, swimming a 21.66 to make an A cut, and was third in the 200 free (1:48.81) in a B cut effort.
Kelly then came back later in the meet to anchor an A cut in the runner-up 200 free relay (1:28.06).
Shaner, meanwhile, was second in the 100 free with an A cut effort of 48 seconds flat, one spot ahead of Christian Rowcliffe's 48.58 B cut time in the event.
Boulter had VMI's other A cut, doing so with a runner-up, 53.93 effort in the 100 fly. JT Lancaster was third in 54.94, a B cut performance.
The Keydets had two podium finishers in the 200 breast, led by a second-place effort from Bret Tomajczyk (2:18.90). Max Groene was third in 2:32.68, and Tomajczyk was also third in the 100 breast (1:01.98, B cut).
Two Keydets were also among the top three finishers in the 200 back - Manny Bloch (2nd/2:11.66) and Jake Johnson (3rd/2:11.99), 500 free (John Armellino (2nd/5:29.58) and Josh Strelow (3rd/5:33.70)) and the 200 IM (John Walker 2nd, 2:11.90) and Steven Seay 3rd, 2:15.49).
VMI swimming and diving will return to action Feb. 17, when the Keydets open the CCSA Championships in Athens, Ga.
VMI Women
Three school records fell and the VMI Keydet women's swimming and diving team posted four ECAC A cuts, but the squad fell to the Generals of Washington & Lee 148-69 in dual action Saturday afternoon at W&L's home pool in Lexington.
Natalie Rivas continued her recent run of success by winning the 50 free with a school record time of 24.86 seconds. Rivas also set an A cut time with the performance, and outtouched teammate Gabbie Galvez in the process. Galvez posted an A cut as well with her 24.89 time.
Galvez and Rivas teamed with Sophia DelBondio and Haley Scott to finish second in the 200 free relay in another school record time, 1:42.09. The quartet posted an ECAC A cut for the second time this season.
Rivas was also third in the 100 free (56.54), while Galvez was second in the 100 fly (1:02.93), one spot in front of Mckenzie Raber (1:06.53).
Raber was a double winner in her best events Saturday, winning the 1000 free in a school record time (10:59.89) and an ECAC B cut. She also won the 500 free in 5:22.11.
Finally, freshman Orla Jordan finished second in the 100 back with a time of 1:00.89. It was an A cut effort.
VMI swimming and diving will return to action Feb. 17, when the team opens competition at the CCSA Championships in Athens, Ga.
