By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University hosted Lewis & Clark College in a Northwest Conference men's and women's swimming meet on Saturday, Jan. 29 at the WU Natatorium. Lewis & Clark won the women's match-up, 154-42. The Pioneers also won the men's competition, 135-42, over the Bearcats.

L&C improved its women's record to 5-3 on the season, 4-2 in the NWC. The L&C men's squad moved to 2-6 overall, 1-5 in the conference. Willamette's women fell to 1-7 overall, 0-6 in the NWC, while the Bearcat men's record dropped to 0-7, 0-6 in the NWC.

Willamette's Lauren Ballinger (So., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) set a personal best while winning the women's 200-yard freestyle. She recorded a time of 2:01.84 to barely touch out Kayla Ernewein of L&C, who took second at 2:01.98

Erin Parkinson (Fr., Everson, WA/Ferndale HS) won the women's 1,000-yard freestyle for Willamette as she completed the 40-length race in 11:36.08. She also won by a narrow margin, finishing the distance event just 2.74 seconds in front of L&C's Lesley Pfeiffer, who clocked in at 11:38.82 for second place. Parkinson took second place in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:43.46.

Two members of the Bearcat men's team also registered victories over the Pioneers. Ian McGahan (So., Tacoma, WA/Stadium HS) was victorious in the 200-yard butterfly, as he earned a time of 2:28.82. Chris Moon of L&C placed second at 2:30.87. Chris Whitehead (Fr., Sherwood, OR/Sherwood HS) won for WU in the 200-yard breaststroke by barely edging out Lee Taylor of the Pioneers. Whitehead was timed at 1:31.87, just 0.02 in front of Taylor at 1:31.89.

There were three Lewis & Clark swimmers who each won two individual events for the Pioneers.

Rachael Cazden took first place in the women's 50-yard freestyle in 25.42 seconds. She also won the 100-yard freestyle, as she clocked in at 55.56 seconds. Cat Menkel-Lawrence was victorious for L&C with a time of 2:19.89 in the women's 200-yard individual medley and a time of 2:16.29 in the 200-yard backstroke.

The L&C men's squad received wins from Josh Spegman in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard backstroke. Spegman prevailed in the 200 I.M. by completing the race in 2:14.51. He finished first in the 200 backstroke be recording a time of 2:15.57.

Willamette senior Chelsea Ibarra (Santa Cruz, CA/Georgiana Bruce Kirby Prep) was honored by the Bearcats during the meet for her four years as a member of the WU swimming team.

The Bearcats will take on Linfield College on Friday, Feb. 4 in McMinnville, Ore. Meet time is set for 6 p.m. (PST). The meet was originally scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5, but was moved due to a scheduling conflict at the Linfield natatorium.