Nov. 11, 2008
CLEVELAND, Ohio - -
Contact: Julie Farr DeLima
Not much stood in the way of the Cleveland State men's swimming and diving team on Nov. 11 at the City College Championship. The Vikings won all but one event and picked up three dual wins, improving to 6-1 on the season. The victories came over Gannon (140-86), John Carroll (149-72) and Notre Dame College (149-41).
"We tried to have a balanced lineup tonight and focus on some of the events we thought needed work, and we got some great times," head coach Wally Morton said. "Now it's time for us to get ready for Saturday, and two of our toughest opponents of the season in Ohio State and Miami (Ohio), and see if we can improve our times."
Matt DiMasso started the night for the Vikings, winning both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving competitions. In the 1-meter, DiMasso scored a 232.75 for the win and recorded a score of 232.15 for the 3-meter victory.
In the swimming events, the men paired up Colin Hanner, Deni Gasparin, Stephen Grove and Keith Everhart in the 200 medley relay. The team finished in 1:35.40, nearly a full second ahead of second place.
Mark deSwardt continued to dominate the 1,000 freestyle, swimming the third-best time in CSU history and a new season-best time (9:20.21) for the win while holding off teammate Pieter Ritz (10:23.35). deSwardt entered the meet with the fourth-best time in CSU history (9:27.23).
Later in the meet, deSwardt also swam a new season-best time to win the 200 IM (1:55.60). He led the 1-2-3 charge, followed closely by Zvonimir Androic (2:03.33) and Volkmar Baur (2:04.82), respectively.
Jakub Dobies was another two-event winner for the Vikings and helped CSU capture three of the top four spots in the 200 freestyle. Dobies swam the race in 1:44.93, followed closely by Todd Winchell (1:46.54, 2nd) and Deni Gasparin (1:50.36, 4th). In the next-to-last race of the night, Dobies won the 100 breaststroke in season-best time (56.75).
Marko Milenkovic, who swam the 100 breaststroke as an exhibition race, recorded a time of 57.30, the ninth-fastest time in school history. He also finished third in the 50 freestyle (21.98).
Nedim Nisic was the third double-winner for CSU, claiming victories in the 50 freestyle (21.87) and the 100 freestyle in a season-best 47.49.
Two other athletes recorded season-best times with their wins. Stephen Grove was victorious in the 100 butterfly (50.83) and Androic won the 100 backstroke (53.65).
In the night's final race, CSU teamed up Grove, Everhart, Mike Marsico and Nisic, who won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:25.68.
The men's swimming and diving teams return to the pool again this weekend when they host Notre Dame and Miami (Ohio) at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15.
