POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (January 21, 2015) – The Vassar College men's swimming team set several new season and career best marks against Montclair State in the final home meet of the year at Kresge Pool Wednesday evening. The Red Hawks came out on topin the head-to-head matchup, claiming the meet victory 166-128 to move to 3-8 in duals this year. VC now stands at 3-4 on the year in dual meets heading into the final month of the season.
Freshman Jonah Strand (Woodstock, NY/Onteora Central) shined again for the Brewers, winning three individual events while clocking two new career and season best times. Strand claimed his first victory of the night in the 100 yard breaststroke, finishing in a career-best 1:05.55 to outpace the field. He went on to hit another career-best in the 200 breaststroke, finishing in 2:14.61 to win the win the event. Strand wrapped up his solo slate with a victory in the 200 individual medley, finishing in 2:05.74 to best Dan Knepple (2:06.68) of Montclair State in second.
Sophomore Anthony Walker (Madison, WI/James Madison Memorial) picked up a pair of wins for the Brewers, his first coming in the 200 yard butterfly with a season-best time of 2:58.66. Walker would later finish first in the 500 yard freestyle, an event he has yet to compete in this season, swimming over 15 seconds faster than the second place finisher Brian Ubhaus (5:26.90) of Montclair.
Senior Luc Amodio (Poughkeepsie, NY/Arlington) notched a win in the 100 yard backstroke, finishing in a season-best 55.10 to out-touch Devon D'Agnosta (55.97) of Montclair in second. Amodio also tallied a third place finish in the 100 yard freestyle on the day.
Junior Greg Cristina (Suffield, CT/Suffield) notched an individual victory in the 50 yard freestyle, touching the wall first with a time of 22.82, while junior Isaiah Hale (Dansville, NY/Dansville) took third with a mark of 24.45 in the event. Cristina also claimed a second place finish in the 100 yard butterfly, tying his season best with a time of 55.39.
Sophomore Patrick Lai (Chatham, NJ/Newark Academy) posted a season-best 1:03.46 in the 100 breaststroke, only two tenths of a second off his career mark of 1:03.21. Lai took third later on in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:19.35.
In relay action, Vassar kicked off the meet with a 1-3 finish in the 200 yard medley relay, as Amodio, Strand, Walker and Cristina combined to finish in a season-best 1:40.25 to earn the victory. Cerutti, Lai, Herrmann and Choi recorded a third place finish with a mark of 1:46.51 in the event. Vassar went 2-4 in the 400 yard freestyle relay to wrap the evening, led by Cristina Walker, Amodio and Hale who finished second in 3:26.44.
The Vassar men's swimming and diving team will be back in action this Saturday, January 24 when the team travels to Willimantic, CT to face Roger Williams University in a dual meet.
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