Olivet College men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams split dual meets at Alma
The Olivet College men's and women's swimming and diving teams split Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) dual meets at Alma College today inside the McClure Natatorium in Alma. The men's team was victorious over the Scots, 136-101, while the Alma women prevailed over the Comets, 171-86.
ALMA, Mich. – The Olivet College men's and women's swimming and diving teams split Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) dual meets at Alma College today inside the McClure Natatorium in Alma. The men's team was victorious over the Scots, 136-101, while the Alma women prevailed over the Comets, 171-86.
The men's team posted 10 first-place finishes. Senior Ben Aldrich (DeWitt/St. Johns) swept the sprint freestyle events, winning the 50 in 22.49 seconds and the 100 in 49.14 seconds. Junior Phil Bielak (Brownstown/Woodhaven) took first in both breaststroke events, stopping the clock at 1:03.44 in the 100 and 2:18.84 in the 200.
Sophomore Eric Dawdy (Holt) did the same in the backstroke events, finishing first in the 100 in 55.86 seconds and the 200 in 2:05.70.Other individual event winners were senior Nick Aldrich (DeWitt/St. Johns) in the 100 butterfly by more than three seconds at 57.08, senior Korey Mervenne (Jenison) in the 1,650 freestyle, 17:58.12; and freshman Bryce Prudden (Charlotte) in the one-meter diving, 209.45 points.
Dawdy, Bielak, senior Tyler Russell (Bay City/Central) and junior Jimmy DeRupa (Trenton) teamed for a first-place finish in the 400 medley relay at 3:45.34. Ben Aldrich, Bielak, Dawdy and DeRupa were first in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:22.70.
The women's team recorded four first-place finishes and four runner-up finishes. Junior Jazmin Johnson (Grand Rapids/Northview) took first in both sprint freestyle events, winning the 50 by more than one second with a time of 25.61 seconds and the 100 in 55.34 seconds. Sophomore Kira Gates (Grosse Ile) won the 400 individual medley, finishing 5:04.08, while senior Alivia Hammond (Byron Center) claimed the top spot in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:04.08.
Gates was out-touched by .03 at the wall in the 200 freestyle, taking second with a time of 2:04.90. Hammond placed second in the 200 backstroke at 2:24.56. Junior Shana Bush (Alma) touched the wall second in the 1,650 freestyle at 19:32.04.
The 400 freestyle relay quartet of Hammond, senior Britnee Jackson (Sturgis), senior Katie Dobis (Munster, Ind.) and Johnson finished in second-place. They stopped the clock at 3:59.82.
The Comets will host Defiance (Ohio) College for a non-conference dual meet next Friday, Jan. 17. Action at the Upton Center Pool starts at 6 p.m.