Back from Break and Into the Pool – Tigers Battle with Poets

WHITTIER, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2009) – Occidental swimmers and divers returned from winter break and dove in the pool on Friday afternoon at Whittier College where the women’s team defeated the Poets 114-104 and the men fell 115-108 following what may be construed as a controversial call at the wall.

The women’s team claimed a team victory behind a pair of first place performances from freshman Mallory Ryan and four additional first place finishes.

Ryan won both the 100 butterfly (1:04.14) and 200 freestyle (2:02.84). The senior trio of Erin Brinton, Eileen McMillan and Kayle Schott-Bresler each turned in first place swims. Brinton, typically a distance swimmer, was the fastest 50 free swimmer at 26.96. McMillan opened up the swimming events with a top finish in the 1000 free in a time of 12:01.08. Schott-Bresler won the 100 breaststroke in 1:17.14.

Junior Eliza Callwood was the final swimmer to earn a first place finish today with a 5:42.62 performance in the 500 freestyle.

Among the swimmers who showed significant improvements at the meet was senior Michael Wong who shaved off 10.13 seconds from his 1000 freestyle time as he and teammate Austen Oliver finished the race 1-2 with times of 10:48.12 and 11:28.65, respectively, for the men’s squad.

Occidental took the honors in another distance event when Michael Wadeclaimed a 500 free victory with a time of 5:25.85. Wade also finished second in the 200 freestyle (1:54.72).

The Tigers went 1-2 in the 100 butterfly with Matt Harter leading the way (54.72) followed closely by Ross Miner (58.01) who improved his time by over a second.

Adam Kantor out-touched the field in the 50 freestyle, swimming the event in 22.72 before pulling up second in the 100 freestyle (49.74).  

In the end it all came down to a call at the wall. When Zachary Condon touched the wall in the 100 backstroke it appeared as if though he had won with a swim of 58.01, but the officials then ruled that Juan Aguilar had finished first, despite the stop watches showing differently. Condon also finished second in the 200 IM with a time of 2:09.01.

Everyone will be back in the pool tomorrow when the Tigers travel to Pomona-Pitzer for another SCIAC meet beginning at 10:30 a.m.