March 1, 2008
PITTSBURGH - The Loyola men's and women's swimming and diving teams have put together several excellent performances through the first two days of the 2008 ECAC Championships at the University of Pittsburgh.
The men's team is in sixth place, out of 25 teams, at the meet with 204 points. Harvard leads the men's chase with 350.
Loyola's women are in seventh place, out of 25 teams, with 159.5 points. Central Connecticut State tops the women's standings with 289 points.
The women's squad closed Saturday's competition with a fourth place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Caitlin Cassidy, Emily Benton, Megan Hadley and Victoria Kamauff swam a time of 7:49.25 in the event.
Kim Krzaczek had the highest individual finish of the day for Loyola, on either the men's or women's side. She placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:07.25. Kali Solack was eighth in the same event, turning in a time of 1:08.10.
Cassidy finished ninth in the 100-yard backstroke in 59.05, while Melissa White swam a time of 1:00.42 to finish one spot behind.
Kamauff placed 12th in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:54.97. Benton was 15th in the event in 1:56.37.
Cassidy placed seventh in the 100-yard butterfly in 58.09.
The 200-yard medley relay team of White, Krzaczek, Eryn Crane and Megan Royer placed fifth in 1:50.57.
The men's 800-yard freestyle relay team closed Saturday night on a high note, finishing third in the race. Ozzy Torres, Jon Wertz, Brad Reeser and Jacob Drannan swam a time of 6:53.89.
Earlier in the day, Sam McQuaid, Matt Fralinger, Tores and E.J. Verrico put together a time of 1:33.96 in the 200-yard medley relay to finish fourth.
McQuaid swam a time of 52.39 in the 100-yard backstroke, finishing ninth, while Fralinger placed ninth in the 100-yard breaststroke in 57.84.
Drannan finished 15th in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:44.45, while Tim Rowe was 16th in the 100-yard butterfly in 52.33.
Three Loyola swimmers placed in the top 12 of the 400-yard individual medley. Drannan was eighth in 4:08.40, while Patrick Hicks placed 11th, 4:14.50, and Zach Oster was 12th, 4:15.16.
On Friday evening, McQuaid, Fralinger, Torres and Reeser finished third in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 3:25.47.
Drannan led three Loyola men in the 500-yard freestyle in 4:39.10. Wertz placed 10th in the event in 4:42.36, while Oster was 14th in 4:44.68.
Gregory Telovich, Drannan, Verrico and Reeser finished seventh in the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:25.32.
On the women's side, Cassidy finished in a tie for 10th in the 50-yard freestyle in 24.70, while Royer was 12th in the event in 24.74.
Krzaczek, White, Royer and Cassidy finished fifth in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:38.72.
The Greyhounds wrap up competition at the ECAC Championships on Sunday.
