December 11, 2010

Wolverines top Hiram

GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College men's swimming and diving team improved to 5-1 overall Saturday with a 151-111 victory over visiting Hiram in a non-conference dual meet at James E. Longnecker Competition Pool. Grove City performers captured 10 wins and also posted top efforts in three other events Saturday.

Junior Clay Beckner (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) earned two individual wins to help lead the Wolverines. He won the 50 breaststroke in 27.14 seconds, then won the 100 free in 50.15 seconds.

Senior Bennett Keefer (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville) won the 100 breaststroke (1:01.56) while junior Nick Hamilton (Crescent, Pa./Moon) prevailed in the 100 backstroke (58.07). Senior Cam Coppelli (Guys Mills, Pa./Saegertown) won the 50 back (25.35) and junior Kirk Gagliardo (Wadsworth, Ill./Warren Township) won the 50 free (21.75).

Also for Grove City, sophomore Ian Smyth (Troy, Pa./Troy) won the 200 free (1:53.79) and freshman E.J. Leuschner (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) took the 1000 (10:40.57).

Coppelli, Keefer, junior Ben Bowser (Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) and sophomore Eric Fairchild (Corry, Pa./Corry) opened the meet by winning the 200 medley relay in 1:37.07. Senior Dan Gummel (Springfield, Ohio/Emmanuel Christian) posted a time of 23.90 in the 50 butterfly, good for top honors.

Sophomore diver Peter Melnik (Clifton Park, N.Y./Homeschooled) won 1-meter diving with 142.45 points. He also posted the high score in 3-meter diving with 153.75 points.

Freshman James Kintzing (Centreville, Va./Homeschooled), senior Dan Wells (Ashland, Ohio/Ashland), freshman Ken Vinyard (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) and senior Matt Armstrong (Loudonville, Ohio/Loudonville) finished the meet by posting the top time in the 200 free relay, 1:31.38.

Grove City will visit Washington & Jefferson January 15.