SPRINGFIELD, MASS. 11/19/10 – It was a spectacular day in Springfield for Keene State College men's and women's swim teams on Saturday as both Owls squads swept a tri-meet against Wheaton College and host Springfield College at the Art Linkletter Natatorium.
The KSC men defeated Wheaton (202-96) and Springfield (171.5-128.5) while the Owl women lapped the Lyons (213-71) and prevailed against the Pride (153-143). Keene State Coach Jack Fabian was ecstatic about his teams' performance. "It was a huge day," said Fabian. Beating an established and strong program like Springfield is a great accomplishment, especially for our women's team that had to overcome the points we lost in diving."
The Owl men, who posted wins in 13 of the 15 swim events, were led by sophomore Drew Ledwith (Keene, N.H.) who won the 200 fly (1:56.11), the 200 back (1:56.92) and the 500 free (4:35.52). He had an NCAA b-cut time in the 500 free.
Sophomore Jared Hyde (Tolland, Conn.) and freshman Randy Dunton (St. Cloud Fla.) were double-winners for the Owls. Hyde won the 200 free (1:46.42) and the 100 free (48.21) while Dunton had wins in the 100 back (55.03) and the 200 IM (2:02.67).
Individual winners for KSC included sophomore James Back (Lynn, Mass.) in the 100 breast (1:02.77), junior Austin Harris (Essex Junction, Vt.) in the 50 free (22.02) sophomore Dan Oliveira (Ludlow, Mass.) in the 100 fly (54.56), and junior Marc Marois (Derry, N.H.) in the 200 breast (2:19.09).
The Owls also won both relays. The team of sophomore Tyler Tambascio (Greenwich, Conn.), Dunton, Oliveira and Black won the 200 medley relay (1:39.74) and the team of Hyde, Harris, Ledwith and Black won the 200 free relay (1:26.67).
The Keene State women's team began the meet in fine fashion with both its 200 medley relay team taking first and second in the event. The "B" team of seniors Maureen O'Leary (Nashua, N.H.) and Jillian Whitaker (Gilford, N.H.), sophomore Lianna Wissmann (Orleans, Mass.), and freshman Taylor DaSilva (Stony Brook, N.Y.) won with a time of 1:51.95 while the Owls' "A" team of sophomores Stephanie Murray (Haverhill, Mass.) and freshmen Caitlyn Shea (Salem, N.H.), Diana Pimer (West Haven, Conn.), and Julie Trodden (Reading, Mass.) took second (1:53.67).
The Owl women won nine of the 15 swim events. Murray and Pimer each won two races. Murray broke the two minute mark for the first time with her win in the 200 free (1:59.36). She also won the 200 back (2:12.18). Pimer won the 200 fly (2:14.95) and the 200 breast (2:28.65)
In other races, Trodden won the 1,000 (10:55.24), Wissmann won the 100 back (1:01.88), Whitaker won the 100 breast (1:07.99) and She touched the wall first in the 500 free (5:20.26).
Keene State returns to the pool on Sunday with a meet against Tufts University (1 p.m.).
