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Current Issue: Volume 130, Number 1 July 14, 2009

Sports


RPI swims past Thoroughbreds

Posted 02-02-2005 at 4:36PM

Brad Cone
Senior Reporter

The Red Hawk men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams welcomed the hapless Skidmore Thoroughbreds to Robison Pool on Saturday, January 29.

The RPI squads turned in convincing performances, the men knocking off their counterparts 157-49 and the women vanquishing theirs 143-87.

“I thought they were going to be a little better than they were,” commented Head Coach Shannon O’Brien of the Thoroughbreds, whose men and women have tallied a combined one victory. “It was a good meet for us. We had some good swims.”

In fact, the RPI men and women swept the top two spots in 15 of 26 events, and went on to add third in nine of those. “It’s good for us to win like that, to go 1-2 and 1-2-3,” added O’Brien of her team’s accomplishment. “I think it gets us ready for the end of the year.”

Leading the way for the men’s squad were sophomores Greg Derevianko and Mike Scibelli and freshmen Matt Hiltner and Kevin Sheridan.

Derevianko continued his season-long dominance on the diving boards, winning the one-meter and three-meter events. Joining him on the platform was junior Bobby Monahon, who finished second on both boards.

Scibelli added two more first place finishes to the Red Hawk tally in the 200-yard individual medley and 200-yard medley relay.

Hiltner joined Scibelli on the victorious 200-yard medley relay team and came in first in the 100-yard butterfly.

Sheridan continued his breakout spring semester with wins in the 50-yard and 500-yard freestyles. He also anchored the triumphant 200-yard medley relay quartet. “I never really trained all year round, so this is sort of different,” explained Sheridan of his first-year experience and success. “With the training, I guess I kind of expected it, but it’ll be interesting to see what I do at states.”

Sheridan’s coach is also quite interested. “He should have a good February,” predicted O’Brien. “He’s been working really hard.”

And the Liberty League has not let Sheridan’s hard work go unnoticed. For his efforts versus Skidmore, Sheridan was named Co-Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.

The Red Hawk women were led by their senior captain and a duo of sophomores.

Senior captain Melissa Hershey continued to rule the diving boards, tallying wins in the one-meter and three-meter events.

Sophomore Karel Schnebele controlled the freestyle lanes, picking up wins in the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle races.

In fact, the Red Hawk women as a whole governed the freestyle events, sweeping first place in every individual freestyle race. “I definitely think freestyle is their strong suit,” said O’Brien.

Joining Hershey and Schnebele in the winner’s circle for the first time since the November 6 meet versus Hartwick was sophomore Ashley Schaefer. Schaefer gained impressive wins for Rensselaer in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly. “Ashley Schaefer, 1:06 in the 100 fly, that was kind of unexpected,” revealed a pleased O’Brien.

Next weekend, RPI welcomes perennial powerhouse Hamilton to Robison Pool for their last dual meet of the season. Earlier this year at the Liberty League Championships, the Red Hawk men stole a victory on the last day from the host Continentals, and rest assured, they haven’t forgotten.

“It’s going to be a tough meet,” recognized O’Brien. “The Hamilton men are going to be out to get us…I know that for a fact. [The Hamilton coach] has got a lot of All-Americans left on his team, but we’re still going to give it our best shot and see what happens. I’m just hoping for some good times again so we get some good seed times for championships.”

When asked if he thought Hamilton would, in fact, be out for revenge, freshman Matt Hiltner said, “Oh sure they will be. We’re ready for them. As long as we have some good swims, we should be fine. We’re going to be rested, and coach is confident in us.”

Regardless of this weekend’s outcome, the main focus for RPI remains to be the State Championship meet later in February. This upcoming meet will be used, just as the Skidmore meet was, as a measuring stick for where the team stands going into championships. “I think we’re all set,” boasted O’Brien. “We’re ready to go.”



Posted 02-02-2005 at 4:36PM
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