CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR FEB. 18, 2012 (PART TWO)
Calvin Women's Swimming & Diving Team Captures Eighth Straight MIAA Title;
Men's Swimming and Diving Team Post School Record Point Total - Places Fourth
By Mark DeHaan
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
Heading into the final night of competition up 112.5 points over its nearest
competitor, Calvin looked to hold on for the MIAA Championship. Not only did
the Knights hold on to the lead, but the Knights also built up a 150-point
advantage en route to a 803.5 point performance and its eighth straight women's
swim and dive title including its 10th in the last 12 years.
Saturday's competition started with the 1650 freestyle. The Knights claimed a
2-3 finish in the mile swim as freshman Kathryn Wrobel took second in 17:44.12
while junior Shelby Cloyd finished in 17:51.75. Senior Bridget Scott finished
seventh (18:19.18) and sophomore Elizabeth Schleh finished eighth (18:21.03) in
the mile swim to round out the top eight in conference.
In the next event, the 200 backstroke, Calvin claimed its first individual
title of the night as freshman Erika Waugh finished in a NCAA B cut time of
2:06.42. Earlier in the day, Waugh established a new school record in the event
with a time of 2:06.29. The Knights also took fifth and sixth in the 200
backstroke as senior Briana Seaks finished in 2:12.23 and junior Savannah
VanWormer finished in 2:13.66.
Calvin continued to build its lead in the 100 freestyle as Knights finished in
third, fourth, sixth and eighth. Leading the charge was junior Stephie Fox with
a time of 53.22, followed closely behind by senior Rachel Bos with a time of
53.67. Freshman Alex Dhaenens took sixth in 54.49 while sophomore Maria Sedjo
took eighth in 55.09.
In the 200 breaststroke, junior Elizabeth Counsell earned another individual
title for the Knights and her second of the weekend. Cousell's time of 2:21.86
was good enough for a NCAA B cut. Freshman Alexi Scott took sixth in the event
with a time of 2:32.19.
The Knights earned a fifth place finish in the 200 butterfly from junior
Rachel Colasurdo (2:15.03) before ending the meet with a thrilling 400
freestyle relay.
The Calvin A team (Fox, Bos, Colasurdo, Dhanens) would finish the relay with a
second place finish behind Hope in a time of 3:34.25.
In the post-meet ceremonies, Calvin junior diver Samantha Klaasen was named
the MIAA Most Valuable Diver for the second straight season for her first place
performance on the one meter board and second place finish on the three meter
board.
The Calvin women also continued the tradition of throwing their coaches in the
pool during the post-meet ceremonies.
“I told our women's team to celebrate this one,” said Head Coach Dan
Gelderloos. “Winning eight in a row and 10 in 12 years is special. I think the
key to our current run is consistency and some hard-working, determined
athletes.”
“It's great – we just keep going,” said Counsell. “Every year we stop and
think that we haven't won (this event) this year, and we're a new team this
year – so we have to put everything into it and keep the tradition going.”
By Andrew Knot
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
By Andrew Knot
HOLLAND - After the final day in the Holland Community Aquatic Center, the
Calvin men’s swim and dive team finished this week’s MIAA tournament with a
fourth place finish. The Knights scored a school record point total of 635.5
points, coming just five points short of topping Olivet and finishing third in
conference for the first time since 2006.
Senior Ross Battoclette continued an impressive final conference campaign by
taking second place in the 200 yard backstroke.
The Knights also recorded a fine performance on the diving boards. Sophomore
Andrew Krafft won the one-meter diving as he totaled 575.10 points, over 55
points more than the second place finisher. His score was also a new school
record. His final dive earned a 63.00 point ruling from the judges. Freshman
Jordan Kaster placed fourth with 399.5 total points.
After diving, the Calvin entered the tournament’s final event, the 400 yard
freestyle relay. If the Knights could thwart the favored Comets, they would
seal a third place finish. Junior Mark Rushlow had the Knights in second place
after the first leg. Battoclette excelled in the second leg by narrowing the
gap between first and second. In the third leg, Andrew Mitchell kept the
Knights neck and neck heading into the final leg, where Alex Baumann’s late
surge had the Knights just short of a first place finish. Calvin finished less
than a half second off the lead.
Another highlight during the day came from freshman Travis Vincent who placed
third in the 200 breaststroke with a school record time of 2:07.07. In the 100
freestyle, junior Mark Rushlow continued his strong weekend by placing second
with a time of 46.23.
Both Diving Coach Aaron Paskvan and Head Coach Don Gelderloos voiced pride in
their teams. Gelderloos acknowledged the difficulty of the nail-biting finish,
but remained extraordinarily proud of his team.
“I've never had a team that has fought so hard and wanted so bad to win for
one another. They swam for each other and they swam for Calvin College this
weekend. They had great heart throughout the meet,” he said.
Paskvan was also pleased with his divers with Kraftt receiving MIAA Most
Valuable Diver honors for the second straight year.
“I am very pleased with our divers – both our men and women at this meet,”
said Paskvan. “It’s a real honor to coach the men and women that dive for us.
Andrew Kraft was tremendous tonight and Jordan Kaster really hung tough. He was
a little under the weather tonight but battled through some discomfort to post
a real solid performance.”
Received on Sat Feb 18 23:34:46 2012
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