THE VASSAR BREWERS AND THE HARTWICK HAWKS COMPETED against RPI on Saturday and Sunday respectively. (file photo)Whether at home or away, the pool never ceases to whet the Rensselaer men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams’ thirst for victory. Not only did both teams manage to drown out the Vassar Brewers at Saturday’s home dual meet at Robison Pool, but they also sunk the Hartwick Hawks at their away dual meet on Sunday. The men scored 195.5 to Vassar’s 100.5 on Saturday, while the women’s score was 188.5–111.5. On Sunday, the women led by a margin of 87 points, winning 190–103. The men also won 151.5–142.5.
Right off the bat, the women charged ahead with a victory in the first event of the evening on Saturday: the 200 yard medley relay. Freshman Amanda Wang, junior Siena Sara, sophomore Shanny Lin, and sophomore Jessica Sauve were responsible for the positive outcome. Sauve, who was the anchor leg, swam the fastest lap of the race in 25.3 seconds, putting over five seconds on the competition from Vassar.
In addition to her contribution in the relay, Lin swam a 2:04.5 in the 200 butterfly and a 58.8 in the 100 fly. Sara took the 100 and 200 breaststrokes in 1:10.0 and 2:27.4, respectively. Wang captured the 100 and 200 backstrokes in 59.9 and 2:10.8, respectively. Sophomore Danielle Sauve placed first in 100 freestyle with 54.9. She also helped the 400 free relay team to victory, which included Wang, sophomore Michaela Yamashita, and sophomore Erin Kane in addition to herself
The men also made a name for themselves on Saturday, posting individual victories from junior Andrew Klobucher, junior Richard Dong, sophomore Brandon Koo, freshman Alex Athanassiadis, freshman Alex Chused, and freshman Dan Hendricks. Klobucher took the 100 and 200 freestyles, Dong the 100 backstroke, Koo the 200 backstroke, Athanassiadis the 3-meter dive, Chused the 1-meter dive, and Hendricks the 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle. Team victories came in the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.
When Sunday rolled around, the teams took to the pool at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY. Chused took 1-meter and 3-meter board diving events, Dong the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, and Hendricks the 500 and 1000 freestyles. Freshman John Alberta blew away the competition with his 48:19 in the 100 freestyle.
Senior Maddie Miller snatched both diving events for the women to help them clinch victory. Wang took the 100 and 200 backstrokes, Lin the 100 freestyle, Yamashita the 100 and 200 butterflies, Jessica Sauve the 200 breaststroke and 200 freestyle, Danielle Sauve the 50 and 1000 freestyles, and Sara the 100 breaststroke. The team of Wang, Lin, Kane, and Danielle Sauve won the 200 free relay and the team of Lin, Yamashita, Sara, and Jessica Sauve conquered the 400 medley relay.
Next on the agenda for the Engineers are the Liberty League Championships, which begin on December 4, with diving events to be held Union College and swimming events to be held at home at the Robison Pool.