The WCU Lady Ram swimming team dominated the pool once again last Saturday as they pushed their season record to 6-0 with a 161-125 victory over Southern Connecticut St.In the six victories this season, the West Chester University women have not allowed an opponent within 30 points. The Golden Rams won nine events total in the meet.
After an impressive week from Erin Fischer in the pool last week, Kristen Montello carried the reins for team on Saturday. Altogether, Montello scored three victories for West Chester. Her victories were in the 1000 free, 500 free, and 200 free, all in a new personal best time for her.
Jackie Borkowski was the other Lady Ram racking up multiple wins on the day with two of her own. Borkowski won in the 50 free and 100 backstroke. Erin Fischer continued her success in the pool with another personal best time and victory, this time in the 200 butterfly.
Other winners in the event were Jillian Murphy in the 200 back, Megan Bauer in the 100 free, and Dana Depaul in the 3-meter dive. The team also emerged victorious in the 200-medly relay.
The men’s swimming team got back to their winning ways this weekend, as they edged Southern Connecticut St. 146.5-121.5 after dropping a tri-meet the past weekend.
In similar fashion to the women’s team, the men also captured nine total events on the day, with first year swimmer Tommy Rhoades leading the way.
Rhoades won two events for the Golden Rams in the meet, as he recorded the fastest time in both the 100-yard freestyle and the 200 free. Both races were personal bests.
Max Bernardes won the 500 free race. The backstroke competition was taken by West Chester with Calvin Starosta in the 100 back and Brendan Magarity in the 200.
Kenny McCormick took first in the 200 butterfly, and Adam Vance was the last of the individual winners with his victory in the 1-meter dive. West Chester’s first place winners were rounded out with the 200-medly relay team of Starosta, McCormick, Bud McClernan and Brendan Fanslau.
In the weekend, prior, both the men’s and women’s swimming teams went up against tough opponents Johns Hopkins University and the College of New Jersey (TCNJ). The women kept their winning streak alive, but the men faltered, dropping both contests.
The score of the men’s meet with Johns Hopkins was a disappointing 162-202. The match with TCNJ wasn’t much better, as they fell 167-203.
Although they struggled in the pool, the team did have some good showings that shed some bright spots on a rather dull weekend for the team.
Kenny McCormick had a great weekend showing. He won the 400-yard individual medley relay with one of the top 10 ever times in WCU history. McCormick also finished second in the 200 individual medley, and third in the 200 butterfly. For his impressive weekend, McCormick was awarded the men’s PSAC Swimmer of the Week.
Other standouts on the men’s side were Brendan Fanslau, David Smoker, Calvin Starosta and Max Bernardes, posting career best times.
The women’s team had an extremely impressive match-up against Johns Hopkins University, where they blew the competition out of the water by a score of 218.5-137.5.
The overall standout of the meet that carried the team on her shoulders was Junior swimmer Erin Fischer. She totaled three individual victories in the 100 fly, 200 fly, and 200 individual medley. Fischer earned the women’s PSAC Swimmer of the Week award, as West Chester swept the honors that weekend.
The team came off of the long winter break well rested and ready to go. Jackie Borkowski continued her great swimming career, as she won two more events, the 50 free and 1650-yard freestyle.
Kristen Montello won the 100 free, and the 400 medley relay team of Dani Scott, Rachel Gale, Jillian Murphy and Montello also won their race. Other swimmers with a strong weekend were Laura Graesser and Leah Varvaro.
At this point in the season, the men’s team is at an overall record of 3-3, while the women remain undefeated at 6-0. Both teams have one more crucial event this upcoming weekend against the University of Penn for their last dual meet of the year. After that is preparation for the PSAC Championships to take place from Feb. 18-21.
Both the men’s and women’s team have a lot of work to do in order to defend their PSAC crown. The men will be going for their twelfth consecutive title, while the women their fourth.
Last season for the men, it was Clarion and Shippensburg who were the closest contenders in the championships to beat in the pool. The women’s nearest competitors were Clarion and Cal (Pa.). Both the men and women breezed through with ease though, each solidifying the crown by more than 100 points.
Ryan Frisco is a third-year student majoring in Communication studies. He can be reached at RF648257@wcupa.edu.