For the second straight weekend, the RPI swimming and diving team took to the pool and swept their opponent. This weekend’s victims were the Brewers of Vassar College, as the Rensselaer men dominated in a 143-69 win and the RPI women came up big down the stretch en route to a 127-114 triumph. The victories keep the men’s record perfect at 4-0 and improve the women’s to 2-2.
Junior Bryan Geiger led the attack for the RPI men this weekend with wins in both relays (the 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle), as well as the individual 200-yard freestyle. These events marked Geiger’s first three wins of the season. Senior captain Pat Fell turned in another solid meet, upping his season’s wins total to six, as he joined Geiger on the 200-yard medley relay team and took first in the 100-yard backstroke. Sophomore Mike Scibelli chipped in a win in the 400-yard individual medley, and was a third member of the victorious 200-yard medley relay team. Freshmen Matt Hiltner and Kevin Sheridan also tallied wins for the Red Hawks in the 1000-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, respectively. On the diving boards, sophomore Greg Derevianko and junior Bobby Monahon dominated, taking first and second, respectively, in both the one-meter and three-meter events.
On the women’s side, sophomores Karel Schnebele and Lea Marlor guided the Red Hawks. Schnebele registered wins in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, and 200-yard freestyle relay, bringing her win total to five in the last two meets. Marlor joined Schnebele on the 200-yard freestyle relay team, and gave the Red Hawks another win in the 100-yard backstroke. Also stepping up for the women was freshman Kelly Owens, who took first in the 1000-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke. Captain Melissa Hershey continued her outstanding senior season, sweeping the one-meter and three-meter diving events for the fourth consecutive meet. She has yet to lose a diving event this fall.
Owens’ win in the breaststroke combined with the freestyle relay victory clinched the contest for the Rensselaer women. This marked the second straight meet that the women came out on top due to clutch performances in the final two events.
The past two meets have also marked a turnaround of sorts for the RPI women. Going into last weekend’s meet with Hartwick, the women found themselves at 0-2. Now, heading to the Liberty League Championships, they are even at 2-2 and riding high. Head Coach Shannon O’Brien contributes the transformation to the increase in the size of her active roster. “We have our whole [women’s] team back in the water,” explained O’Brien. “Due to some injuries and people participating in other sports, we were a little light in numbers at the beginning of the season.”
The Liberty League bestowed honors on three Rensselaer team members again this week. Hershey was named Women’s Diver of the Week for the third straight week. On the men’s side, Pat Fell and Matt Hiltner were named Swimmer of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively. Hiltner has now received rookie honors for two consecutive weeks.
Both Red Hawk squads have two weeks of preparation ahead of them as they gear up for the Liberty League Championships in Clinton, N.Y. on December 3 and 4. Last year, with modest records of 1-3, both teams headed to the league championships and enjoyed some success. The men’s group captured second place out of eight teams, while the women came in with a sound fourth place finish out of nine. This year, with the men at 4-0 and the women at 2-2, the Red Hawks’ confidence is soaring. “We are swimming and diving very well,” said O’Brien. “The teams are riding such a high right now and are very motivated. That will only help in the training [for Clinton].”
