Posted: Nov 23, 2015

Swimming Falls at UMass-Dartmouth

N. DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The Elms College men's and women's swimming team slipped in a dual meet against UMass-Dartmouth at the Tripp Athletic Center Natatorium Saturday afternoon. The men's squad was defeated 136-109, while the women's team fell 159-91.

On the men's side, the Blazers won nine events, fueled by a pair of victories for senior Misha Kuyuzov (Swampscott, Mass.), juniors Ryan Burgos (Plaistow, N.H.) and Nick Cirillo (Gloversville, N.Y.), and freshman Michael Grippo (Longmeadow, Mass.). Burgos claimed first in the 1000 yard freestyle (10:39.60) and the 100 yard backstroke (1:00.79), while Cirillo won the 200 yard freestyle (1:53.51) and the 500 yard freestyle (5:20.36). Kuyuzov placed first in the 100 yard breaststroke (1:06.85) and the 100 yard individual medley (1:00.17), along with a second-place finish in the 50 yard breaststroke (30.89). Grippo took first in the 50 yard backstroke (27.89) and the 100 yard freestyle (52.64), while finishing third in the 50 yard freestyle (24.31). Senior James Grippo (Longmeadow, Mass.) came in second in the 100 yard butterfly (1:02.15) and fourth in the 500 yard freestyle (5:38.09). Freshman Patrick Gay (East Hartford, Conn.) captured third in the 50 yard butterfly (29.67), along with a pair of fourths in the 50 yard backstroke (33.44) and the 100 yard backstroke (1:17.00). Sophomore Tony Luciani (Agawam, Mass.) picked up two fourth-place finishes in the 50 yard butterfly (33.64) and the 200 yard freestyle (2:27.74), and a fifth-place finish in the 50 yard freestyle (29.12). Freshman Joseph Sutton (Suffield, Conn.) took fifth in the 100 yard freestyle (1:14.73) and the 200 yard freestyle (2:38.39), and sixth in the 50 yard freestyle (32.90). In the 800 yard freestyle relay, the team of Cirillo, Michael Grippo, James Grippo, and Burgos won the event in a time of 7:49.54. In the 400 yard medley relay, the team of James Grippo, Burgos, Kuyuzov, and Cirillo placed second at a 4:05.85 mark.

For the women's team, the Blazers notched two wins, coming from sophomore Ashlee Connors (Springfield, Mass.) and freshman Kayla Gurney (Wilbraham, Mass.). Connors took first in the 100 yard backstroke with a time of 1:12.69, and added a pair of second-place finishes in the 50 yard backstroke (32.56) and the 100 yard individual medley (1:18.71). Gurney won the 100 yard breaststroke with a time of 1:18.81, and came in second in the 50 yard breaststroke (36.59). Senior Kim Panetta (Belchertown, Mass.) registered two second-place finishes in the 50 yard butterfly (32.86) and the 100 yard freestyle (1:03.71), while freshman Desi Milar (Springfield, Mass.) notched a pair of second-place finishes in the 50 yard freestyle (28.91) and the 100 yard breaststroke (1:21.52). Junior Rebecca Carterud (South Windsor, Conn.) finished third in the 100 yard backstroke (1:22.55) and the 200 yard freestyle (2:32.55), and fourth in the 50 yard butterfly (39.93). Junior Kelly O'Connell (Monson, Mass.) recorded two third-place finishes in the 1000 yard freestyle (13:33.79) and the 500 yard freestyle (6:46.91), and a fifth in the 100 yard freestyle (1:15.54). Freshman Jacqueline Given (Arlington, Mass.) was third in the 50 yard freestyle (31.79), fourth in the 500 yard freestyle (7:17.28), and fifth in the 200 yard freestyle (2:39.87). Senior Crystal Archibald (Portland, Maine) placed fourth in the 1000 yard freestyle (14:39.14), the 100 yard breaststroke (1:26.74), and the 100 yard individual medley (1:25.65). Sophomore Rachael Coleman (West Hartford, Conn.) claimed fourth in the 50 yard breaststroke (41.80), 100 yard freestyle (1:12.02), and the 200 yard freestyle (2:33.31). Freshman Amanda Rotberg (Rowley, Mass.) finished fourth in the 50 yard backstroke (40.13), fifth in the 100 yard backstroke (1:24.57), and sixth in the 50 yard freestyle (35.29). In the 400 yard medley relay, the team of Connors, Gurney, Panetta, and Milar came in second with a time of 4:49.72. In the 200 yard freestyle relay, the team of Panetta, Milar, Coleman, and Gurney took second at 1:56.92, while the team of Rotberg, Given, Carterud, and O'Connell finished fourth at 2:16.62.

The Blazers will return to action at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships at Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts on December 5-6.

ELMS SWIMMING