Swim Teams Split Thrilling Dual Meet Against UMass-Dartmouth
Click here for complete results
CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College freshman Keegan Goan (Westbrook Maine) broke a pair of school records and freshman Devon DeGrazia (Westport, Mass.) shattered three school marks to help pace the Blazers to a split in Saturday afternoon's men's and women's swimming dual meet against UMass-Dartmouth at Partyka Natatorium.
The women's team posted a thrilling come-from-behind victory 132-130 and improve to 4-1 overall while UMass-Dartmouth falls to 2-4 on the season. The men's team fell 124-123 and move to 2-1 on the season while UMass-Dartmouth improves to 4-2.
The meet came down to the final 200-meter freestyle relay as the Blazers' women's squad of sophomore Chalis Bird (Windsor, Mass.), DeGrazia, freshman Ashley Kirchner (Dalton, Mass.) and sophomore Tessa Dudunake (Northampton, Mass.) swam to a new Elms College pool and school record time of 1:58.93 to pull out the victory.
The men's squad of junior Zach LeBarron (Bennington, Vt.), freshman Aaron Starke (Chicopee, Mass.), sophomore Mark Gehring (West Springfield, Mass.) and Goan earned a first place finish with a new school mark of 1:44.73 to pull the Blazers to within one of the Corsairs.
On the women's side, DeGrazia powered her way to three first place finishes and three school records in the 200-meter freestyle (2:17.05), the 400-meter freestyle (5:03.34) and the 100-meter backstroke (1:11.80).
Kirchner won the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:22.93 and set a pair of school records in the 800-meter freestyle (10:39.51) and the 50-meter butterfly (32.47), recording second place honors in both events.
Dudunake set a new school record in the 100-meter individual medley (1:13.37) and picked up wins in the 50-meter breaststroke and the 100-meter freestyle notching times of 37.15 and 1:06.68 respectively.
Bird won the 50-meter freestyle clocking a time of 30.15 to round out the top Blazers' performers.
On the men's side, Goan swam to school record finishes in the 100-meter butterfly (1:03.43) and the 100-meter individual medley (1:06.60) placing second and first respectively. He also won the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:07.81.
LeBarron swam to a new school and pool record in the 50-meter freestyle clocking a time of 25:16 and posted wins in the 100-meter freestyle (58.14) and 50-meter butterfly (28.54).
Gehring clocked top times in the 800-meter freestyle (9:53.89) and the 200-meter freestyle (2:11.40).
UMass-Dartmouth's Matt Dean (Londonderry, N.H.) set a new Elms College pool record in the 50-meter butterfly capturing a first place time of 32.36.
Both the men's and women's swim teams return to action on Jan. 12 when they travel to Bridgewater State University for a 3:00 p.m. dual meet.
