JERSEY CITY, NJ– The Saint Peter's swimming and diving program opened MAAC play with a dominant sweep over Manhattan on Tuesday evening at the Eugene and Teresa Imperatore Swimming and Diving Center. The women's team earned a 156-76 victory, while the men claimed a 169-92 win.
Both squads were strong from start to finish, with the women capturing 11 first-place finishes and the men 12.
WOMEN'S HIGHLIGHTS
The Peacocks opened the night with gold in the 200-yard medley relay, as
Maddie McKinney, Gwen Mendez, Niela Dawlett, and rookie
Elettra Dalcerri posted a winning time of 1:55.27, anchored by Dalcerri's 25.80 split.
Hailey Zeszotarski earned the win in the 1650-yard freestyle (20:05.99), with
Leah Cunas placing second (22:14.09).
Francesca Solano Vargas out-touched
Chris Carolin Weiss by four hundredths to take the 100-yard backstroke in 1:01.56.
Paige Austin-Burrows captured her first gold of the evening in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:09.26), while Dalcerri added another win in the 200-yard butterfly (2:23.31) ahead of Solano Vargas (2:26.39).
Weiss and Zeszotarski led a strong showing in the 200-yard backstroke, taking first (2:16.33) and third (2:32.69), while Mendez (2:29.16) and Cunas (3:01.41) claimed two of the top three spots in the 200-yard breaststroke.
McKinney dominated the 500-yard freestyle in 5:27.30, more than a pool length ahead of the field, followed by Solano Vargas (5:44.00). Austin-Burrows earned her second win in the 100-yard butterfly (58.48) ahead of Dawlett (1:07.32).
Mendez and Weiss went one-two in the 400-yard IM, finishing in 4:46.53 and 4:58.93. The Peacocks closed the meet with a decisive victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay, as McKinney, Schirtzinger, Weiss, and Dawlett clocked 3:36.07–more than 12 seconds clear of the field.
MEN'S HIGHLIGHTS
The men opened with a commanding win in the 200-yard medley relay, as
Juan Nunez, Victor Fuentes, Tristan Raso, and
freshman Nikita Kaminskas finished in 1:36.38, with Kaminskas delivering the fastest split (22.46).
Jeff Thompson and
Emerson Tofel went one-two in the 1650-yard freestyle (17:40.36, 18:16.08).
Ashton Smith captured the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.32, just ahead of freshman
Austin Carducci (1:49.72).
Nunez dominated the 100-yard backstroke (53.19), while Fuentes won the 100-yard breaststroke in 58.96, the only swimmer under a minute. Raso added another victory in the 200-yard butterfly (1:59.40), narrowly holding off
Patch Robinson (2:00.39).
Nunez secured his third win of the meet in the 200-yard backstroke (1:56.89). Robinson claimed gold in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:15.82), with
William Horrisberger also contributing points (2:36.52). Smith earned his second win in the 500-yard freestyle (5:01.71), followed by
Ean Vellescig (5:07.58).
Raso led the field in the 100-yard butterfly (51.92), while freshmen Robinson (4:20.02) and Tofel (4:34.57) went one-two in the 400-yard IM. The men capped the night with a win in the 400-yard freestyle relay, as Smith, Fuentes, Thompson, and Nunez stopped the clock at 3:28.19.
UP NEXT
The Saint Peter's swimming and diving programs travel to New Rochelle, N.Y., on Saturday, November 15, to face Iona at the Hynes Center Pool. First splash is set for 1 p.m.
For continuing coverage of Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
