Nov. 3, 2007
BOSTON, Mass. -- The Old Dominion men's and women's swimming and diving teams returned to action this weekend.
The Old Dominion men's squad improved to 3-0 on the year with a 193-160 win against Delaware. The Monarchs captured 11 first place finishes, including eight events where a member of the ODU team placed both first and second. Patrik Balint won four events - 400 relay medley, 1650 free, 100 back, and 500 free - and posted the fastest 500 free time this season.
On the women's side, the Lady Monarchs were defeated by Northeastern and Delaware, 205-148. Old Dominion had four first place times and had five top times for the season including Jennifer Sargent in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.
For the men's team, the afternoon started off with the 400 medley squad, comprised of Patrik Balint, Johan Lundberg, Vince Pastore, and Chad Gangwer, clocking in a time of 3:33.29 to take first place in the event.
Balint followed by taking home the second of four first place finishes on the day. In the 1650 free, Balint hit the wall .62 seconds faster than Delaware's Garrett Arant for a finishing time of 16:34.05. Later in the afternoon, Balint would win the 100 back. He swam his way to a time of 52.42 and teammate Mikael Ramkvist followed right behind with a second place time of 53.02. Balint also took home the 500 free. He captured the fastest time this season for the men's squad in the 500 free with his fourth top time (4:45.05), narrowly beating teammate Kristofer Hagg by .15 seconds. Hagg took second in a time of 4:45.20.
In addtion to the 100 back and 500 free, the men's squad packed one-two punches in six more events - the 200 free, 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 IM, and 200 back. Kristofer Hagg swam to a first place finish in a time of 1:44.85 in the 200 free, narrowly edging out teammate Chad Gangwer, who placed second in a time of 1:45.06. The 100 breast had Johan Lundberg placing first with a time of 1:00.35, .59 second faster than Josh Kinas' second place time of 1:00.94. The roles were reversed in the 200 breast. Kinas took first (2:11.86), while Lundberg finished second (2:13.25). In the 200 fly, Dan Gallagher was the only swimmer to clock in under two minutes by hitting the side of the pool in 1:57.36. Kevin Latimer took second place in the event with a time of 2:00.75. The 400 IM had Josh Kinas swimming to a first place finish in a time of 4:17.92, while Kevin Latimer placed second in a time of 4:19.40. Mikael Ramkvist, who placed second in the 100 back, improved to a first place finish in the 200 back by logging a time of 1:55.52, while Dan Gallagher placed second with a time of 1:56.06.
Wesley Murai collected a first place finish in the 100 fly. He logged a time of 53.58.
Other highlights from the men's meet against Delaware included a second place finish by Wesley Murai in the 50 yard free (22.42) as well as second place finishes by the 200 free relay squad, 200 medley relay team, 400 free relay team, and diver Noah Scully. The team of Wesley Murai, Johan Lundberg, Mikael Ramkvist, and Chad Gangwer were just a half second behind the winning team from the University of Delaware in the 200 free relay. The 200 medley relay team, comprised of Wesley Murai, Josh Kinas, Vince Pastore, and Mikael Ramkvist, collected a time of 1:37.64. Kristofer Hagg, John Dee, Patrik Balint, and Chad Gangwer were the members of the 400 free who registred a second place time of 3:14.40. Scully placed second on the 1 meter missing winning the event by .50 points. Scully collected a total of 283.30 in the event.
Additionally, the Monarchs placed two, three, and four in the 200 IM. Mikael Ramkvist took second (2.00.89), followed by Dan Gallagher (2:02.30), and Kevin Latimer (2:02.50).
Old Dominion women's first top finish came from April Barrientos in the 100 back. Barrientos clocked in just under a minute (59.82) for the fastest time in the event this season for the Lady Monarchs. Additionally, it was the seventh fastest finish in the 100 back in ODU history.
Freshman Caroline Larrson swam away from the competition in the 400 IM. Larrson's time of 4:35.91 was nearly 10 seconds faster than Delaware's Lauren Guntner's second place finish. Addtionally, it was another top time in an event for the Lady Monarchs swimmer in 2007-08.
Jennifer Sargent captured two top ODU times for the season in two events. First, Sargent collected a first place finish with her time of 2:25.26 in the 200 breast for a top time in the event. Sargent had a second place effort in the 100 breast (1:07.79). Her time gave her the eighth fastest time in the ODU logs and the top time of the year.
The women also took home the 200 medley relay. The group of April Barrientos, Jennifer Sargent, Hannah Kess, and Liza Moiseeva put together yet another top season finish with a time of 1:50.80.
Liza Moiseeva and Kelli North placed second and third respectively in the 200 free. Moiseeva was only .40 seconds off pace with Northeastern's Kathrine Fugge as she finished with a time of 1:55.74. The time however was the fastest finish for the Lady Monarchs in the 200 free this season. North finished behind Moiseeva with a time of 1:58.02.
Two other notable performances came from Caroline Larrson, who also captured the top time in the 400 IM, . Larrson placed second in the 1650 free (17:15.66) and in the 500 free (5:07.90).
The Old Dominion men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to action next weekend. The Monarchs and Lady Monarchs travel to UNC-Wilmington on Saturday, November 10th.