Swimming: WVU Swept by Virginia Tech
January 24, 2004 03:31 PM | General
January 24, 2004
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The WVU swimming and diving team was swept by BIG EAST foe Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon at the WVU Natatorium. The men's team fell by a slim 136.5-105.5 margin while the women's squad lost 154-79.
The men's 200 freestyle relay team of Kyle Williams, Kleyton Franca, Chris Hagedorn and Matt Drozd shattered the previous Natatorium record by 10 seconds with a 1:24.08. The previous mark was set last season by a WVU relay squad which included Franca and Drozd (1:34.80).
Franca placed first in the 200 and 500 freestyle events while Pedro Pinto notched a victory with a 49.70 in the 100 butterfly.
Junior Kevin Van Buskirk made his BIG EAST cut and placed first with a 16:08.67 in the 1650-yard freestyle event. Freshman diver Robert Buchter scored a 259.80 on the three-meter boards to earn a victory.
For the women's team, Manuela Trabert (24.64) and Elizabeth Cleary (24.68) went 1-2 in the 50 freestyle event, while freshman diver Jennifer Nyce tallied a 206.85 to place first on the three-meter boards.
Virginia Tech's David Szabo and Kevin Furlong each broke 24-year-old pool records, with Szabo notching a 4:03.52 in the 400 IM and Furlong stopping the clocks at 55.87 in the 100 breaststroke.
West Virginia's John Havlik held the original record of 4:04.04 in the 400 IM in 1980 while Kelly Hopkins of East Carolina set the 100 breaststroke mark in 1980 with a 58.20.
"This was a positive loss for our team," said coach Steve Phillips. "I think we really came together as a team and had some great individual swims and best times. Virginia Tech was second at the BIG EAST meet last year, so we knew it would be a tough time for us coming in."
The Mountaineers (men: 5-5; women: 3-8) return to action on Saturday, Jan. 31, when they face Connecticut, at noon, in the WVU Natatorium. It will be the final home meet for seniors Can Eter, Kleyton Franca, Lee Ann Johnston and Travis Watson.
