Poets Top Leopards in SCIAC Action
The University of La Verne swim and dive team took on the Whittier Poets in conference action Saturday afternoon. Despite having 29 season best times, the Leopards fell to the Poets 144-89 in the men's competition and 162-51 in the women's matchup.
The Leopard men posted 18 season-best times while the women's squad registered 11 for an overall total of 29 season-best performances against the Poets.
Freshman distance swimmer John Jarvis had a strong outing on the day, placing first in both the 1650-yard freestyle (17:30.96) and 500-yard freestyle (5:05.81) to post his best times this season.
Marc Okimura also enjoyed a pair of first place finishes in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.33) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:11.59) where he finished seven seconds in front of his opponents.
Freshman Tyler Hunt placed second in his two events, earning the runner-up positions in the 50-yard freestyle (22.60) and the 100-yard freestyle (50.64).
The men's 400-yard medley relay, Matthew Johnson, Okimura, Hunt, and Andrew Mackay, had a second place finish with a time of 3:52.46. The 400-yard freestyle relay, Danny Feola, Matthew Monterroso, Andres Avila, and Juan Simental, also placed second coming in at 3:27.23
On the women's side, Maddie Lovrensky had a season best and a first place finish in 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:13.58. She also placed second in the 50-yard freestyle (25.87).Jaycee Hallford recorded her first win this season in the 200-yard IM (2:25.17) and also had a second place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a season best time of 58.34.
Shelby Broyles also had a second place finish in the 200-yard freestyle, coming in at 2:09.30.
The women's 400-yard relay team, Lovrensky, Hallford, Brittany Orduno, and Karen Romo, placed third with a time of 4:32.48. The 400-yard freestyle relay team, Orduno, Terrah Carroll, Erin Morten, and Romo, also placed third coming in at 4:13.44.
"I thought we swam well,"said Leopard head coach Pat Skehan. "People swam in different events to bolster our team scoring efforts. I am pleased with our team's intensity and the ability to race through the meet."
La Verne will be back on the road next Saturday as they continue SCIAC action against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. The meet will begin at 11:00 am in Claremont.
