Swim Teams Lose Despite Inidivdual Improvments

Author: David Lindholm Assistant Sports Editor

The Middlebury men's and women's swim teams traveled to Amherst this weekend. Both teams swam well, but neither could come up with a win, as the men fell by a score of 143-93 and the women lost by an almost identical score of 150-93. Both teams are now 2-1 on the season.

The women had many swimmers improve on their times from the last meet. This was the second meet of the season, and many of the swimmers improved times from their previous performance, in which the Panthers easily defeated both Wesleyan and Springfield by scores of 156-130 and 213-66, respectively. This week, the team was led by a trio of sophomores.

Kellianne Egan '04 won the 1,000 yard freestyle in impressive fashion, coming in two seconds in front of an Amherst challenger, and also cutting almost eight seconds off her time from the previous week. In the 200 yard freestyle, Sarah Groff '04 was the only swimmer who broke the two-minute mark and won by almost a second. Finally, Lizzy DeWitt '04 rounded out the women's winners in the 100 yard freestyle.

The youth of the team was evident as sophomores were among the team's best finishers, and many first-years first years competed.

On the men's side, the team was also powered by youth. The winning 400 yard freestyle relay team included Jason Korsmeyer '05, David Hawkins '05, Matt Clark '04 and Ricky Barfuss '03. The only other winner on the day was Grayson Stuntz '02, who won the 200 yard individual medley.

Both teams now have a brief respite and will resume competition after the winter break with meets at Colby on Jan. 5 and Bates on Jan. 6. The first home meet for both the men's and women's teams will be a week later against Hamilton in the Natatorium.