Men’s Swimming Powers Past Bridgewater State University, 146-82
CHICOPEE, Mass. – Elms College senior Aaron Starke (Chicopee, Mass.) won three individual events and the Blazers had five different swimmers secure first place finishes to help stake a 146-82 victory over Bridgewater State University in Wednesday afternoon's swim meet at Partyka Natatorium.
With the win, Elms improves to 4-1 on the season, while Bridgewater State moves to 1-6 on the season.
Starke earned top honors in the 50-meter freestyle (25.87), the 100-meter freestyle (59.93) and the 50-meter butterfly (30.25). Senior Keegan Goan (Westbrook, Maine) touched the wall first in the 100-meter butterfly (1:10.78) and the 50-meter backstroke (33.37), while sophomores Ethan Etheridge (Pawtucket, R.I.) and James Grippo (Longmeadow, Mass.) and freshman Nicklaus Cirillo (Gloversville, N.Y.) each added a pair of first place finishes.
Etheridge clocked winning times in the 50-meter breaststroke (31.88) and the 100-meter breaststroke (1:16.53), Grippo glided to first in the 800-meter freestyle (10:07.80) and the 100-meter backstroke (1:11.06), while Cirillo drove to top honors in the 200-meter freestyle (2:12.35) and the 400-meter freestyle in a time of 4:41.51.
The relay squad of Grippo, Etheridge, Goan and Starke also won the 200-meter medley relay in a time of 2:03.17.
Sophomore Mikhail Kuyuzov (Swampscott, Mass.) added two second place marks in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:19.93) and the 50-meter butterfly (31.38) and registered a time of 37.03 to come in third in the 50-meter breaststroke.
Junior Niels Thomsen (Southington, Conn.) added a second place finish in the 100-meter freestyle (1:01.42), a third place mark in the 200-meter freestyle (2:27.86) and finished fifth in the 50-meter freestyle (28.77). Sophomore Andrew Pioggia (East Longmeadow, Mass.) came in fourth in the 100-meter butterfly (1:24.34) and the 50-meter butterfly (33.02), and clocked a fifth place time in the 100-meter freestyle (1:07.29).
Elms returns to action on Saturday, January 11 when it hosts Mount Saint Mary's College at 1:00 p.m. at Partyka Natatorium.
