Men's swimming and diving team defeats Albion, 147-94

The men’s swimming and diving team defeated Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College, 147-94, today at the Upton Center Pool in Olivet. The Fighting Comets had eight first-place finishes.

Dustin Meisner (Temperance/Erie Mason) and Paul Riha (East Grand Rapids) were first in two individual events and swam a leg in a winning relay. Meisner won the 200 breaststroke with a school-record time of 2:12.91 and the 200 individual medley in 2:04.92. Meisner along with Juan Aguirre (Queretaro, Mexico), Ananta Fetters (Fennville/Holland) and Mitch Powers (Kalamazoo Central) finished the 400 medley in a school-record time of 3:39.76.

Riha led an Olivet 1-2-3 finish in the 50 freestyle (22.58). Finishing behind him were Powers (22.69) and Aguirre (23.06). He also claimed first in the 100 freestyle (49.93). Powers, Koji Takahashi (Etobicoke, Ontario/Silver Thorn CI) and Levi Yockey (Phoenix, Ariz./North) joined Riha on the winning 400 freestyle relay.

Takahashi and sophomore Brad Waddell (Holland/West Ottawa) broke the school record with first-place finishes in the 200 butterfly (2:00.55) and 200 backstroke (2:03.41), respectively. Takahashi set the record by 2.67 seconds while Waddell was 3.77 seconds under the previous time.

In addition, Aguirre and Takahashi were runner-ups in events – Aguirre in the 100 free (50.24) and Takahashi in the 200 freestyle (1:49.42). Freshman Brian Jaffee (Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green) swam to a second-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:02.90) and 1000 freestyle (10:13.65).

The Comets will host Alma College next Saturday, Jan. 22, at 1 p.m.