Men's swimming and diving team beats Alma, 216-63

The Olivet College men's swimming and diving team won 13 events and beat Alma College, 216-63, today at the McClure Natatorium in Alma.

The Comets got off to a fast start as they had the top two finishing spots in the 200-yard medley relay. The first-place team of Juan Aguirre (Queretaro, Mexico), Ananta Fetters (Fennville/Holland), Brian Johnson (Lansing/Eastern) and Brad Voss (Lansing/Holt) clocked-in at 1:43.51. The second-place team of Nathaniel Burchfield (Lansing/Everett), Ryan Key (Phoenix, Ariz./Brophy Prep), Dustin Meisner (Temperance/Erie Mason) and Greg Seger (Sterling Heights/Henry Ford II) finished in 1:44.28.

Sam Jaffee (Bowling Green, Ohio) was next to win as he took first in the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:43.23. Nathan Busscher (Hamitlon/Holland Christian) led an Olivet 1-2-3 finish in the 200-yard freestyle. His time was 1:48.11, followed by Koji Takahashi (Etobicoke, Ontario/Silverthorn), 1:52.98; and Voss, 1:58.00. The highest Comet finisher in the 100-yard backstroke was Johnson, who placed second in 56.32 seconds.

The 100-yard breaststroke also featured a 1-2-3 Comet finish. Meisner led the way in 1:00.54, followed by Yury Bylina (Minsk, Belarus), 1:02.60; and Jon Hon (Alma), 1:07.13. Fetters claimed the top spot in the 200-yard butterfly (2:03.13). Key and Nick Stone (Westland/John Glenn) were first and second in the 50-yard freestyle, respectively (:23.07 and :23.47).

Shawn Bergman (Chelsea) led an Olivet sweep in the 3-meter diving competition as he scored 248.60 points. Andrew Wasson (Grand Ledge) was a close second with 245.15 points and Justin Hulsebos (Wayland) was third (243.10). Another 1-2-3 Comet finish occurred in both the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard breaststroke. The order in the 100 free was Aguirre, :49.47; Fetters, :50.32; and Burchfield, :53.91. The 200 breast was won by Stone, 2:25.59, followed by Hon, 2:25.95; and Busscher, 2:31.77.

Bylina brought home first-place honors in the 500-yard freestyle (4:50.71). Jaffee was right behind him in 5:15.29. In the one-meter dive, Hulsebos was first (259.00), followed by Bergman (256.45) and Wasson (248.25). Key won the 200-yard individual medley (2:02.89). In the final race, the 200-yard freestyle relay, the team of Bergman, Fetters, Meisner and Jason Wheatley (Portage/Central) edged the team of Hulsebos, Stone, Takahashi and Voss by 1.05 seconds. The winning time was 1:33.41.

Olivet will wrap-up its dual meet schedule next Saturday, Jan. 27, when it travels for a 1 p.m. meet against Kalamazoo College.