After getting nipped in a tight 200 medley relay race to open the meet, Trinity ran off a string of six straight wins to take control of the meet early. Melanie Gustafson (1000 freestyle 11:00.76), Meghan Varner (200 freestyle 2:01.99), Ana Price (50 freestyle 25.48), Morgan Briggs (200 IM 2:18.31), and Leslie Butts (100 butterfly 1:00.72) combined to win enough races to assure the Tigers of a win in Orlando. While Rollins then won the 100 backstroke and the 500 freestyle, Morgan Briggs came back to win the 100 breaststroke and the TU 200 freestyle relay stepped up to win a tight race in the meet's final event. It was a good evening for Trinity's women, who will be seeking an 8th consecutive SCAC team title in Houston this coming February.
Our men opened the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay (Sean Fronczak, Matt Wey, Zach Dielmann, and Spencer Bard taking honors), giving TU a lead we would never surrender over the course of the evening. Andrew Battles and Lucas Belury then posted solid times while finishing 1 - 2 in the 1000 (10:03.27 and 10:08.73), reinforcing the winning tradition that Trinity has established in the men's distance swimming. While Rollins won the 200, TU then reeled off 3 straight wins to pretty much put the meet away. Aaron Shaver took the 50 with a 22.54, Alex Miranda won the 200 IM clocking a 2:02.61, and Spencer Bard captured the 100 butterfly with a time of 53.83. Miranda and Belury later went 1 - 2 in the 500 (4:52.96 and 4:56.25) and Matt Wey captured the 100 breaststroke (1:03.67) to put the frosting on the cake for the Tigers. A win on the road is always nice!
That same night we aimed our bus toward Florida's west coast and made the drive to Tampa. Late to bed and early to rise makes the team healthy, wealthy, and tired. We weren't truly ready for a meet with one of the NCAA's best Division II programs. Our swimmers were positive about the challenge, but we were weary and our performances reflected that fact. Melanie Gustafson's 2:12.57 was the winning time in the 200 butterfly and was Trinity's best swim of the day. Melanie recorded a win in the 500 freestyle, as well, but she was just about as fast on her way to the 1000 against Rollins the previous night. Mary Price (100 butterfly) and Lisa Tucci (400 IM) also posted wins, and Jennifer Ince finished runner-up in both backstrokes.Our men fared a little better against the Spartan men than our women did versus their counterparts. Alex Miranda won the 200 butterfly (1:59.68) and the 400 IM (4:21.55), both good early season times. Andrew Battles took the 500 (4:59.86) and led TU to a 1 - 2 - 3 finish in the 1000 (10:21.78) - just edging first-year Arthur Daigh's 10:23.93 (JJ Lubinski was third overall). Sean Fronczak competed well in the backstrokes, winning the 200 with a 2:02.27, and both Matt Wey and Aaron Shaver showed they are preparing for a good season by virtue of their competitiveness on a day when most of their team-mates were looking tired. Two meets within a 20 hour stretch with a long bus ride will do that to you. Builds character, right??
We'll need a little of that (character), as well as speed and toughness if we are going to be ready to swim fast at the end of the season. We have a meet next weekend at home (University of New Orleans), and then three in a row come November. Hopefully, we'll post some good times in Dallas on the weekend before Thanksgiving. Time flies, so we'll get to that point in the season quicker than you might think. Go Tigers!!!
-Coach Ryan
Images:
#1 SR Sara Griffis warming up at Lake Highland Prep
#2 JR Andrew Battles after the meet with Rollins
#3 FYs Morgan Briggs, Meghan Varner, Marisa Olmo, Melanie Gustafson, & Megan O'Rell from l to r
#4 Members of TMSD
#4 Members of TMSD
#5 Members of TWSD
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