Swim Team Takes Howard

By CHRISTIAN ZAPATERO

On Oct. 6, while most of us were recovering from the long week, the Mary Washington men’s and women’s swimming teams rolled into Goolrick Natatorium to collide with Division I Howard University. This particular contest to start the Eagles’ 2012-13 dual-meet season would prove not to be an easy one.
When asked how well prepared he felt he was for the first swim meet of the season, freshman Sean Mayer praised the training he has received.

“I feel good, my team and I have been training really hard this season and we have had a solid past three weeks of practice,” he said. “Personally, though, my lifting regiment has me seeing significant progress in the pool.”

The Mary Washington men’s and women’s swimming teams swept Howard University last Saturday, Oct 6. The women won, 158-76, and so did men, 169-75. Out of the 28 events on Saturday, Howard University won seven.
Individual finishes in races can count up to a maximum of nine points, while relay races can count up to a maximum of 11 points. Mary Washington and Howard split the relay events, 2-2, while Mary Washington dominated by displaying their reign on the individual races, winning 19 of the 24 events. Three events in which Mary Washington did particularly well were the men’s 100-yard butterfly men’s 100-yard freestyle, and the men’s 200-yard medley relay.
Freshman Matthew Garstka won the men 100-yard freestyle with a time of 49.58 seconds, and anchored the winning men’s 200-Yard medley relay team that posted a 1:37.84. He emphasized that, even though he had a good day, there are still areas in which he can improve.
“For this early in the season, I am very pleased with my performance today,” Garstka said. “Even though I swam particularly well today, I still have areas that I can improve on, such as going out faster in [the] first opening 50 and making sure that I am able to save my legs properly so I can have fresh legs for the end of the race.”

When asked if the relay team he was on was so-called “stacked,” Garstka stated, “We have a really strong medley, our team is strong enough that our fastest swimmer can do his second-best stroke and the guy behind him can step right in without missing a beat.”

In the 100-yard butterfly, Mayer came in second with a time of 54.06 seconds, a personal best losing by 3.3 seconds. Mayer said, “It was a good time for me, I know I will definitely improve my time, because as the season goes on I’m going to get stronger and be able to propel myself through the water quicker, but this was a good time for me for the present,” he said.

More winning results for the men included: senior Andrew Garafolo in the 1000-freestyle in 10:14.12 and the 500-freestyle in 5:00.96, senior Nick Eckhoff in the 200-freestyle in 1:47.14,Sophomore Michael Yelmgren in the 100-backstroke at 53.50 seconds and the 200-backstroke at 2:00.84, senior Peter Slattery in the 100-breaststroke at 1:01.22 and the 200 breaststroke at 2:19.30, sophomore Alex Anderson in the 50-freestyle at 21.04 and the 100 fly at 50.76.

On the women’s side, freshman Stephanie Hallcock won the 200-yard freestyle, and sophomore Amber Kerico won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:09.11. The pair teamed up with senior Lindsay Ancelloti and freshman Hannah Hagy to win the 200 yard medley with a time of 1:53.44.

Freshman Alex Parrish won the 1000-freestyle with a time of 11:32.62 and the 200-yard freestyle with 2:38.63.

Junior Catherine Perrin won the 200-yard butterfly in 2:30.55. Sophomore Robin Brazier won the 100-yard freestyle in 56.52 seconds. Freshman Katie Fago won the 200 backstroke in 2:16.46. Junior Jessica Singer, a converted long-distance swimmer, swam the 500 in 5:21.32 and Abby Cox touched the wall first in the 200-IM with a time of 2:16.80.

The swimming teams demolished their opponents this past Saturday, and plan on duplicating their performance Friday, Oct. 12, when they visit Division I College of William and Mary.