COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College swimming teams flew back from their winter trip to Florida just in time to score a pair of impressive non-conference victories over visiting Cabrini on Friday night at Elliott Poll.
The women remained perfect at 7-0 with a 127-69 triumph, while the men cruised to a 126-73 rout.
The Ursinus women finished 1-2-3 in every race, shaking off jetlag with a dominant performance up and down a mixed lineup with a number of swimmers competing outside of their usual events.
Junior Caroline Powell picked up a pair of first-place swims for the 20th-ranked Bears. She claimed the top spot in the 1650 free, lapping the rest of the field by more than 18 seconds with a time of 19:04.56 as junior Peyten Lyons took second and freshman Katelyn Moore was third. Powell also won the 100 free at 57.42, with senior Rachel Weil (58.63) in second and freshman Madison McHugh (58.80) right behind.
Senior Katherine Porter had the best time in the 200 free, clocking a 2:04.26 to land ahead of freshman Gabriela Howell in second and McHugh in third.
Freshman Sophie May was first to touch the wall in the 50 free at 25.49; classmate Rebecca Warren (26.64) was runner-up and junior Kathryn Longenecker (27.74) placed third.
Senior Sydney Gundersen captured an individual win in the 200 IM (2:13.88) and swam the second leg of the victorious 200 medley relay alongside sophomore Margrethe Leis, junior Clara Baker, and May (1:53.35).
Junior Gabriella Timuscuk was first in the 100 fly at 1:00.63, about three seconds clear of classmate Katherine Madden. Freshman Katherine Kurzinsky logged a first-place showing in the 100 back (1:02.09) and joined Timuscuk, senior Olivia Tierney, and senior Meggie Leitz to place second in the 200 medley relay at 1:56.25.
Sophomore Haley Sturla touched in 5:27.74 to take the 500 free, where May was second at 5:30.89, and Lyons won the 100 breast in 1:14.34.
Madden, Weil, Leis, and Timuscuk posted the top time in the 200 free relay (1:46.03).
For the men, senior Colin McNamara won the 100 back and contributed to a pair of first-place relays. He joined junior Travis Venables, sophomore Maxwell Coulter, and sophomore Jacob Menzer to finish first in the 200 medley relay (1:42.31), then capped the meet alongside Venables, freshman Matthew Buccella, and sophomore Jared Krawetz in the 200 free relay.
The Bears (5-2) went 1-2-3 in the 1650 free. Sophomore Daniel Powell was first to finish at 17:05.47, while sophomore Casey Lear (17:28.37) and junior Johnathan Myers (17:28.91) were neck and neck behind Powell.
Senior Christopher Barthold held off junior Kevin Gill for a victory in the 200 free, clocking in at 1:49.13 with Gill just over a second behind.
Junior Devin Nielsen marked a 23.15 to finish first in the 50 free and placed runner-up in the 100 free at 51.03, right behind freshman Michael Prior (50.69).
Sophomore Thomas Rogers was victorious in the 100 fly, posting a 55.76, and junior Daniel Becker (4:59.89) collected top prize in the 500 free. Senior Carl Cristoph finished second in the 100 fly, and Gill was runner-up in the 500 free.
The swimming teams continue their torrid post-break stretch with another non-league dual at Albright on Saturday.
