The Men’s and Women’s swim teams each ended their regular season schedules with losses against defending SUNYAC champion SUNY Geneseo on Saturday, Jan. 31.
The Hawks Men’s team was defeated by a score of 152-101, while the Women’s team lost by a margin of 151-103. For the Women’s team, it was their first loss of the season.
“We knew that Geneseo was very good and we expected great competition,” Head Coach Scott Whitbeck said. “I think we had some good races, but we also had some we can improve on.”
For the Men’s team, third-year co-Captain Ryan Lindgren and third-year Will Koenig each placed first in individual events. Lindgren earned first place for the Hawks in the 100 yard breaststroke (1:03.96) and Koenig was victorious in the 50 yard freestyle (22.11).
The 200 yard freestyle relay team of first-year Caleb Treadwell, third-year Brandon Finn and third-year co-Captain Ethan Cooke scored first-place points after Geneseo’s entries were tagged as exhibitions. The relay team combined for a time of 1:29.20. Geneseo’s 200 yard freestyle relay “A” time was 1:29.03, but was marked as exhibition.
“Going into the meet we knew that there would be stiff competition,” fourth-year co-Captain Jack Spader said. “So while they may have dominated the races, I’m confident we gave them a run for their money. They may have beaten us this weekend, but we won’t go down at SUNYACs without a fight.”
Spader posted the lone true runner-up finish for the Hawks at the meet, finishing second in the 500 freestyle (5:03.41).
The Men’s team finished the season with a 4-3 record in dual meets. At home, the team’s record was 2-1 and a 2-2 finish on the road. They will next compete in the SUNYAC Championships from Thursday, Feb. 19 to Saturday, Feb. 21 at Erie Community College’s Burt Flickinger Aquatic Center in Buffalo, New York. Finishing sixth out of nine teams in last season’s SUNYAC Championships, they did not advance to the NCAA Div. III Swimming and Diving Championships.
On the Women’s side, third-year Cassidy Griger and third-year co-Captain Maggie Heaton each won individual events against Geneseo. Griger won the gold in the 100 yard freestyle (55.18), while Heaton won the 100 yard butterfly with an event-best time of 1:02.17.
Griger also placed second in the 200 yard freestyle (1:59.84). Other second-place finishers for the Hawks include fourth-year co-Captain Samantha Granan with a time of 1:10.80 in the 100 yard breaststroke and third-year Kim Kallansrude in the 200 yard butterfly (2:18.50).
The first loss of the season brings the Women’s team’s final record to 6-1 in dual meets for the season. They finished with an undefeated home record of 3-0 and a 3-1 record on the road. Along with the Men’s team, they will travel to Buffalo to compete in the SUNYAC Championships. Last season, the Women’s team finished in third place out of nine teams and advanced to the next round: the Swimming and Diving Championships at IUPUI Natortorium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Although both teams suffered a loss to end their regular season, Spader is looking on the positive side in preparation for the SUNYAC Championships.
“I think that this meet has opened up our eyes to the kind of competition that we will see at the championships,” he said. “That will give us the motivation to keep working hard these next three weeks.”