Nov. 1, 2008
HARRISONBURG, Va. -- The CAA swimming and diving pod meet at James Madison concluded on Saturday afternoon with the Old Dominion men's swimming and diving squad improving 3-0 on the year with wins over Drexel and William & Mary and the women's swimming and diving team earning wins over Drexel and Northeastern, while falling to host James Madison and William & Mary.
The men's team defeated Drexel by a score of 234-119 and downed William & Mary 204-149. The Monarchs have won their last 13 meets, which included going 10-0 a year ago.
The women's team took a 262-83 victory over Drexel and outscored Northeastern 200- 153. The Lady Monarchs suffered a 191-162 setback to James Madison and a 210-143 loss to William & Mary. The Lady Monarchs now stand at 2-3 on the year.
Old Dominion's first event win of the day came in the men's 200 medley relay. The squad consisting of junior Kristian Ramkvist (Bjarred, Sweden), freshman Arni Mar Arnason (Msfellsbaer, Iceland), senior Johan Lundberg (Fjaras, Sweden), and sophomore Steven Loccisano (Fredericksburg, Va.) brought home the winning time of 1:35.27.
Arnason continued to rack up the wins in the pod meet. A member of day two's 200 medley relay team and day one's winner in the 100 breast with an ODU record, the 50 free, as well as, a member of the winning 400 medley relay squad, he won the 200 breast with a time of 2:01.51, for another ODU record. Arnason reset the previous top time of 2:03.77 set by Mike Coley in 1999. Arnason touched the wall seven seconds ahead of second place finisher Ramkvist. Ramkvist recorded a time of 2:08.90.
Ramkvist would go on to take home a victory in the 200 IM. He logged a time of 1:55.95 to give the Monarchs their third win in day two action.
Freshman Erla Dogg Haraldsdottir (Njardvik, Iceland), who in day one of competition captured a top finish in the 100 breast, continued her winning ways by taking first in the 200 breast. Haraldsdottir's time of 2:21.32 edged out teammate Jennifer Sargent's (Chesterfield, Va.) second place time of 2:24.52. Haraldsdottir's performance earned her another spot on the Lady Monarchs top times list. She now stands fourth on the top 10 times in the 200 breast.
The 200 breast was not Haraldsdottir's only top time of the day. She also placed first in the 200 IM clocking in at 2:06.84, nearly four and half second faster than the second place finisher from William & Mary. She moved up one spot on the 200 IM top times list from sixth to fifth with her performance.
The Old Dominion men's and women's swimming and diving teams return to the pool for the Davidson Invitational. The three-day invite begins on Friday, November 21st.