POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 17, 2017) – The Vassar College men's swimming and diving team hung around with the Hawks of New Paltz on Friday evening, but in the end couldn't push past the visiting Hawks as Vassar dropped a 148-116 dual meet in action from Kresge Pool.
 
The Brewers (2-3) started the evening with a strong swim from sophomore Jordan Kalina, who posted a 17:58.98 in the 1650 free, building a steady lead on New Paltz's Joseph Galante to win by 12 seconds in the race. Senior Jonah Strand was in the pool next for Vassar and chalked up a win in the 200 free, swimming a 1:51.01 to VC's second individual victory in as many races.
 
Freshman Max White took second in the 100 backstroke after posting a time of 56.14, and Strand followed that by picking up his second first-place finish of the night with a 1:01.26 in the 100 breaststroke. Teammate Danny Dunn swam a 1:12.57 in the 100 breast to record a personal-best mark.
 
In the 200 butterfly, sophomore Harrison Taylor finished with a 2:11.05, a season-best time, and fellow sophomore Matthew Imiolek was second in the 50 free with a 22.63. In the 100 freestyle, Imiolek was third with a 54.06, while newcomer Parker Bartz swam a 55.03 for fourth place. White would add a win in the 200 backstroke with a new season-best, showing a valiant effort to just out-touch Marc Piliero of New Paltz with a 2:03.16. Also in the 200 back, freshman Rowan McDowell collected a new personal-best time of 2:11.60.
 
In the 200 breast, Strand finished his day with his third victory of the night after swimming a 2:14.17. In the 500 free, Kalina swam a 5:14.14 for second place, and White followed that up by earning his second win of the day with a 54.27 in the 100 butterfly. Taylor also finished with a personal-best time in the 100 fly, touching the wall in 56.30.
 
In the 200 free relay, Vassar would chalk up its eighth win of the night after posting a 1:30.77, besting New Paltz's "A" relay by about a half-second. In diving, senior Connor Martin was the lone men's diver on Friday evening, as he posted a 178.21, just off his personal-best on a 6-dive list.
 
The Brewers will return to the pool on Friday, December 1, starting the two-day RIT Invitational in Rochester, NY at Rochester Institute of Technology. Action starts in Judson Pool at 4:00 p.m. Friday evening, getting underway Saturday, December 2 at 9:00 a.m.