In their last swimming meet for the 2015 calendar year, the Eastern Illinois men’s & women’s swimming teams saw 10 season-best times fall in their dual meet against Saint Louis Friday night in Padovan Pool. The EIU women’s score ended at 92.00-169.00, while the men finished at 64.00-198.00.
Kaylee Morris displayed her skill in the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles as she earned first place finishes in both events. Morris finished the 50-yard freestyle at 24.44 for a new personal best and the 100-yard freestyle at 53.95. Joann Wakefield earned a pair of first place finishes in the 50-yard breaststroke and the 100-yard breaststroke. Wakefield ended the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:09.02, but her time of 31.49 in the 50-yard breaststroke set a new personal record for the season. Lauren Oostman took home first place honors in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:00.59. She also earned a second place finish in the 500-yard freestyle at 5:31.48, and topping her old season-best mark by over three seconds. Martee Grainger set a new personal season-high with her fourth place finish in the 200-yard freestyle at 2:01.28. Paige Eavenson ended the 100-yard freestyle in fourth place with a time of 58.54, as she set a new personal best mark. Renae Johnson set a new personal high mark in the 50-yard butterfly with a time of 29.45 for a fifth place finish. Niki Beringer rounded out the list of individual women setting new personal best times as she ended the 50-yard backstroke with a time of 30.62 for fifth place honors.
The women’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of Wakefield, Grainger, Morris, and Danielle DiMatteo finished .07 seconds from a first place tie with Saint Louis, but still set a new season best mark at 1:40.14.
Shane Witzki ended the men’s 50-yard freestyle in third place with a new season best time of 22.03. Patrick Wood was the only other male Panther swimmer to set a new top mark, as his time of 56.82 in the 100-yard butterfly gave him third place honors.
Steve Fishman, Matt Jacobs, Stephen Truchon, and Wood earned a second place finish in the men’s 200-yard medley relay at 1:37.70. Brandon Robbins scored a pair of second place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49.90) and the 50-yard breaststroke (27.49). Brogan O’Doherty matched Robbins with a couple second place finishes as well. O’Doherty finished in second place in the 100-yard backstroke (53.16) and the 50-yard backstroke (24.79). Jacobs rounded out the second place finishes as his time of 59.65 was second best in the 100-yard breaststroke.
The Panthers will return to action on January 16 as both the men’s & women’s swimming teams will square off against Western Illinois. The women will also face Butler in the same meet.
