FREDONIA, NY - The 'Wick swimming and diving teams each came away with a pair of victories on Saturday in western New York in quadrangular meets with Fredonia, Oneonta, and Cortland.
The Hartwick women's team (8-7) fell just short of a clean sweep. The Hawks downed both the Blue Devils (125-118) and O-State Red Dragons (150-87), but were edged by Cortland (119-118). The Hartwick men (11-4) came away with wins over Fredonia (142-101) and Oneonta (158-85) but fell short against Cortland (129-114). On the day, head coach Dale Rothenberger cracked the 200-win plateau for men's victories in his coaching career.
The Hawk women won seven of 13 events on the day, including four of the first five races. Robyn Smith (Jupiter, FL), Whitney Fletcher (Superior, CO), Stephanie Ha (Everett, WA), and Kristen Grunert (Oakland, CA) got things started with a 200 medley relay win (1:53.51) and Gray, Sam McFarland (Derry, PA), and Ha each earned individual victories. Gray took the 1000 free race in 11:00.20, McFarland grabbed first in the 200 free (2:01.69), and Ha won the 200 IM event (2:13.33).
Ha would later add a second victory in the 200 fly with a time of 2:13.66. Gray won her second race of the day in the 500 free and Fletcher (200 breast) would add to the Hartwick win total. Fletcher's time of 2:27.96 broke a Fredonia State pool record. Smith also registered a second-place finish in the 200 backstroke event and third in the 50 freestyle. McFarland placed third in the 100 free and Mallory Weber (Naperville, IL) was third in the 200 fly.
On the men's side, Hartwick's Michael Phillips (Austin, TX) was a triple winner giving him 11 individual victories this month. Junior Eric Goble (Bellefontaine, OH) also earned an individual win and the 'Wick 200 free relay 'B' squad captured first place.
Phillips earned firsts in the 200 freestyle (1:45.99), the 200 individual medley (1:59.73), and the 200 breaststroke (2:11.71). Goble was the winner of the 200 fly event in 2:02.28 and James Sanders (Sharon, MA), Tim George (Wiscasset, ME), Sam Rosenthal (Takoma Park, MD), and Josh Morey (Gloversville, NY) combined for the relay win in 1:29.61.
Lydon Schultz (Mt. Pleasant, SC) earned a pair of second-place efforts in the 50 free and 100 free, Chris Willcox (Dresher, PA) was second in the 200 breast and third in the 200 IM, and Travis Bueno (Clifton Park, NY) and Conor Dwyer (Barrington, RI) each placed third on the afternoon.
Hartwick's swim teams host Alfred University next Saturday in the final home meet of the season. The meet will serve as the Senior/Parent Recognition Day and Hawk seniors Brittany Sherburn (Franconia, NH), Erin Fleming (Northampton, MA), and Gray will be honored prior to the start of the day's competition.
