One Meet Record and Two B-Cuts on Day One
Day One Results
The first day of the Empire 8 Conference Championship being held in Ithaca, NY is in the books and there was one new E8 meet record and two B-cut times on the night.
Hartwick's Matt Plunkett got the men's finals started with a time of 4:35.81 to claim the conference title in the 500 freestyle. His win is the second straight and fourth time in the last five years a Hartwick swimmer has won the event. Stevens' Connor Harrigan took second (4:36.45) and Hartwick's Ben Detar completed the top three (4:39.69).
In the 200 Individual Medley, Stevens second Joshua Lefeber claimed top honors for the third straight year with a B-cut and E8 meet record time of 1:51.37. Teammate Ravi Sun was a close second (1:52.95) and Nazareth sophomore Alex Lapoint finished third (1:53.37).
The men's 50 freestyle appeared as if it would be a two-horse race with Stevens' Tommy Wolinski and Ithaca's Addison Hebert as the only two swimmers in the Empire 8 to crack 21 seconds in the prelims. Wolinski would secure the top spot, ending the race in the finals in 20.94, edging out Hebert by .09 seconds. Hartwick's Joseph Mulvehill touched just behind Hebert in third at 21.25.
For the fifth straight year an Ithaca diver won the 3-meter event. Freshman freshman Scott Hillen won with a score of 510.05. Less than 10 points behind with a score of 494.75 was Alfred sophomore Chris Deaver.
Wrapping up the night session was the 200 Medley Relay event. The Stevens team of Ravi Sun, Dan Pilcher, Vinny Tavoletti and Ethan Gehenio grabbed the title in a B-cut time of 1:31.93. Hartwick placed second in 1:34.87, edging out third placed Ithaca 1:35.01.
Competition continues tomorrow at Ithaca's Athletics & Events Center Aquatics Pavilion with prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.
Teams Scores
Stevens - 220
Ithaca - 158
Hartwick - 150
Nazareth - 119
Alfred - 71
Utica - 32
Thursday's Schedule:
200 Freestyle Relay
400 IM
100 Butterfly
200 Freestyle
400 Medley Relay