PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Sophomore Matea Samardzic (Split, Croati/Ekonomsko-Birotehnicka Skola) and Jonathan Gomez (Cali, Colombia/Patrick Henry [Va.]) continued where they left off their standout freshman season to pace the Saint Peter's swimming and diving team at the first day of the Sonny Werblin Invitational on Friday.
Samardzic, who was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Female Swimmer of the Meet at the MAAC Championships in February, won the 500 free (5:01.84) and finished third in the 200 IM (2:08.38) to make a splash in her first meet in her sophomore campaign. The sophomore also teamed up with Alexandra Sison (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy), Marie Feneron (Molsheim, France/Lycee Henri Meck) and Rachel Wuko (Wildwood Crest, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) to finish second in the 400-medley relay (3:59.81).
Wuko finished second in the 50 free (24.43) while Feneron was fourth in the 200 IM (2:09.65) and Karen Castaneda (Woodbridge, N.J./Woodbridge) placed 14th in the 500 free (5:18.21).
Similar to Samardzic, Gomez was named the MAAC Male Swimmer of the Meet at the MAAC Championships in February and posted a pair of individual second-place finishes on Friday in the 500 free (4:39.75) and the 200 IM (1:56.92). The sophomore also swam the opening leg of the winning 400-medley relay (3:32.30) and was followed in the pool by Bence Greifenstein (Budapest, Hungary/Kerek), Manuel Garcia (Mexico City, Mexico/The American School Foundation) and Eliran Epstein (Nahariya, Israel/Wester Galilee Regional).
Epstein also finished third in the 50 free (22.16) while Sean Dunne placed fourth in the 50 free (22.53) and sixth in the 200 IM (2:00.73). Nicholas Riepe (Middlesex, N.J./Saint Joseph) was seventh in the 500 free (4:48.15), Igal Oren (Bergenfield, N.J./Ort Kiryar Bialik) placed eighth in the 200 IM (2:01.24) and Jake Schroth (Leesburg, Va./Heritage) was 10th in the 50 free (22.85) to round out the Top-10 finishers for the men's team.
Diego Rueda (Bucaramanga, Colombia/School of the Future) and Daniel Gayetsky (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) finished 11th (4:58.31) and 13th in the 500 free, respectively, while Alejandro Rubin (Caracas, Venezuela/San Ignacio) was 12th in 50 free and Thomas Calloni (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) placed 16th (23.65) in the event.
The Peacocks head coach Brie Von Rosendahl is making her head coaching debut in the event.
Saint Peter's returns to action in the final day of the Sonny Werblin Invitational on Saturday. Events start at 10 a.m.
