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

WALLA WALLA, WASH. -- Whitman College downed Willamette University in men's and women's swimming on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Northwest Conference action. The Missionaries won the men's competition 152-52, and the Whitman women's team earned a 135-65 victory.

Both Whitman team improved to 2-0 overall and 2-0 in the NWC. Willamette's teams fell to 0-2 overall, 0-2 in the NWC.

For Willamette, Cassie Tallman (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) won two women's events. She took first place in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:16.02 and was the winner of the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:31.36.

Tallman claimed both of her wins by more than two seconds. She won the 200 I.M. by 2.60 seconds and was first in the 200 breaststroke by 2.03 seconds. Ashlyn Witherwax (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) of Willamette placed third in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:33.47, just 0.12 out of second place.

Malia Santos (Jr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) of WU took second place in the women's 50-yard freestyle in 25.81 seconds. She trailed only Tai Hallstein, who won the event in 24.98 seconds. Kendra Clinton of Whitman was third at 26.31.

Willamette's Michaela Zuber (Jr., Sacramento, CA/Sheldon HS) led a 2-3 finish for the Bearcats in the women's 200-yard backstroke and was third in the 200-yard freestyle. Zuber achieved a time of 2:30.90 in the backstroke, while teammate Leah Freeborn (Jr., Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer HS) was timed at 2:34.54. Zuber's time in the 200 was 2:08.70.

Kate Harvey (Fr., Atlantic Beach, FL/Duncan Fletcher HS) took third place in the women's 500-yard freestyle. Her time was 6:01.95.

Mark Yuvienco (Fr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) was victorious for the Willamette men's team in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:54.14. Dane Kawamoto of Whitman was second in 5:09.23, and Shelby Merrill (So., Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake HS) of Willamette took third in 5:12.35.

Yuvienco also placed second in the 200-yard butterfly. His time was 1:59.19. Karl Maring of Whitman won the event in 1:55.99.

Merrill achieved second place in the 1,000-yard freestyle. He completed the race in 10:46.87. The winner of the 1,000 was Cole Weinstein of Whitman in 10:33.10.

Also for the Bearcat men's team, Alika Masei (So., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) was third in the 200-yard individual medley and Jason Bayang (So., Wahiawa, HI/Hoala School) was third in the 100-yard freestyle. Masei's time in the 200 I.M. was 2:03.48, while Bayang registered a time of 51.79 seconds in the 100 freestyle.

Whitman won very competitive races in both of the women's relays.

The Missionaries took first place in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 4:12.86, while Willamette was second in 4:14.46. Swimming for WU on the medley relay were Zuber, Witherwax, Santos and Jamie Johnson (Fr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS).

In the 400-yard freestyle relay, Whitman was victorious in 3:49.42. Willamette earned second place in 3:51.48. Santos, Johnson, Kristi Miyakawa (Fr., Los Alamitos, CA/Los Alamitos HS) and Tallman swam on the relay for the Bearcats.

Whitman also won both men's relays. In the 400-yard medley relay, the Missionaries were timed at 3:36.69, with Willamette in second at 3:43.65. Masei, Kulananalu Tarnas (So., Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy), Yuvienco, and Zander Le Bel (Sr., Dallas, TX/Richardson HS) swam for the Bearcats in the medley relay.

The Missionaries took first and second in the 400-yard freestyle relay, but Willamette was only 3.33 seconds out of the lead. Whitman's teams recorded times of 3:22.49 and 3:23.53, while Willamette was clocked at 3:25.82. Swimming for WU were Andrew Lum (Jr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), Bayang, Merrill, and Le Bel.

Willamette will be in action again on Friday, Nov. 14, when the Bearcats host NWC rival University of Puget Sound at the WU Natatorium. The meet is slated to begin at 6 p.m. (PST).