When the swim meet against Denison and Grand Valley was scheduled, coaches and athletes weren’t sure what to expect for an outdoor competition in mid-October. MSU lucked out this Saturday with sunny weather reaching the upper 50s, where the swimming and diving team performed in the shadow of Spartan Stadium.
MSU men and women defeated Denison and Grand Valley Saturday afternoon at the IM Sports-West outdoor pool. The men beat Grand Valley 149-55 and Denison 155-49.5, while the women beat Denison 137-68 and Grand Valley 145-59, overall winning 16 of the 22 events throughout the day.
“I think being able to showcase our outdoor pool is always cool. Having an outdoor meet in Michigan in October is very unique, and unique to us,” head coach Matt Gianiodis said. “We will embrace it and try to have fun.”
Sophomore Lauren Kalwasinski, senior Shelby Lacy, sophomore Sarah Love and junior Emily Parsons took the first victory of the day for the women’s 400 medley relay, finishing with a time of 4:34.57. Men’s 400 medley relay team of freshman Alex Trompke, sophomore Alec Kandt, junior Nate Weeks and senior Kyle Workman finished first with a 3:59.71 time.
Freshman Joe Szczupakiewicz finished the men’s 800 meter freestyle first at 8:46.95, followed by sophomore Jon Burke (8:56.52) in second, marking their first wins of the season.
MSU took first, second and third in the women’s 200 meter freestyle: senior Hannah Pugh (2:13.24), freshman Haley Kornburger (2:14.17) and freshman Alysse Fischer (2:14.92). Freshman Lachie McLeish took first for the men’s side with a final time of 1:55.95.
Lacy won the 50 meter freestyle (28.02) for the women, while junior Jacob Moore finished first for the men (24.26).
Freshman Connor Lamb gained his first victory in collegiate swimming for the men’s 200 meter IM (2:15.10), with Weeks following in second (2:15.25).
During the 200 meter butterfly, junior Elizabeth Brown (2:22.30) Pugh (2:27.07), and freshman Becca Hannon (2:30.89) finished consecutively. On the men’s side, freshman Alex Duffy (2:11.28), Weeks (2:13.65) and freshman Mitch Strahlman (2:15.34) also finished first, second and third. McLeish (53.79) and Moore (54.53) were victorious in the men’s 100 meter freestyle.
Senior Kelly Delorme finished first for the women’s 200 meter backstroke (2:31.48), and sophomore Sam Hiller and Trompke won for the men’s side.
In the 200 meter breaststroke, junior Marina Borri (248.62) and freshman Mia Baric (2:51.76) were victorious, swimming in at first and second. For the men, Kandt and Lamb took first and second, with times of 2:29.34 and 2:34.26.
To wrap up the meet, Workman, McLeish, freshman Nick Leshok and Trompke won the men’s 400 meter freestyle relay, finishing with a time of 3:36.84.
“I was really proud of the team today,” Gianiodis said. “It was a long day and they didn’t lose their focus. I thought we did really well and performed expectations, which was nice.”
