By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Willamette University swimmer Cassie Tallman (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) finished in third place in the women's competition at the Northwest Conference Sprint Pentathlon on Friday, Oct. 30 at Whitman College.
The Willamette women's team placed second out of five teams in the overall standings. The Bearcat men's team took fourth place.
Swimmers at the NWC Sprint Pentathlon were able to participate in the 100-yard individual medley as well as 50-yard races in the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Athletes who completed all five races were eligible to place in the pentathlon.
Tallman was one of several Bearcats who earned top 25 overall finishes. Kiley Lin (Fr., Palo Alto, CA/Henry M. Gunn HS) placed 11th and Ashlyn Witherwax (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) was 22nd in the women's pentathlon. In the men's competition, Mark Yuvienco (So., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) placed 11th, Alika Masei (Jr., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) took 18th and Jason Bayang (Jr., Wahiawa, HI/Hoala School) was 23rd.
A total of 82 women and 74 men swam in all five events.
Shanell Sullenberger of Pacific Lutheran University won the women's individual title with an overall time of 2:56.80. She swan 1:01.79 in the 100-yard individual medley and registered 50-yard times of 27.58 in the butterfly, 30.61 in the backstroke, 31.58 in the breaststroke and 25.24 in the freestyle.
Her sister, Kiana Sullenberger placed second in 2:57.27. She recorded times of 1:02.19 in the 100 I.M., 27.90 in the 50-yard butterfly, 30.82 in the 50-yard backstroke, 30.96 in the 50-yard breaststroke and 25.40 in the 50-yard freestyle.
Tallman's overall time in third place was 2:57.77 just 0.50 behind Kiana Sullenberger. Tallman completed in the 100 I.M. in 1:02.51. She also earned times of 27.88 in the 50-yard butterfly, 29.04 in the 50-yard backstroke, 32.40 in the 50-yard breaststroke and 25.94 in the 50-yard freestyle.
Lin, in her first intercollegiate meet for the Bearcats, registered a combined time of 3:04.33 for 11th place. Ashly Witherwax achieved an overall time of 3:07.94 in 22nd. In addition, Kate Harvey (So., Atlantic Beach, FL/Duncan Fletcher HS) placed 31st overall at 3:11.57.
Pacific Lutheran claimed the women's team title with a score of 428.5 points. Willamette was second with 165 points and Whitman was third at 153. Whitworth University placed fourth at 144.5 and Pacific University was fifth with 59 points.
The men's pentathlon title went to Wesley Walton of Whitworth, who earned a combined result of 2:33.39. He was timed at 53.78 in the 100 I.M. to go along with times of 23.94 in the 50-yard butterfly, 24.88 in the 50-yard backstroke, 28.24 in the 50-yard breaststroke and 22.55 in the 50-yard freestyle.
Sean Terada of Whitman took second place with an overall time of 2:34.82. Third place was attained by Kyle Wicks of Whitworth at 2:35.66.
Yuvienco of Willamette was credited with an total time of 2:39.92 for 11th place. He swam the 100 I.M. in 56.67. His other times were 24.56 in the 50-yard butterfly, 26.90 in the 50-yard backstroke, 28.60 in the 50-yard breaststroke and 23.19 in the 50-yard freestyle.
Masei's overall time for the Bearcats was 2:41.63 in 18th place. Bayang accumulated a time of 2:43.72 to take 23rd.
Whitworth earned the men's team title with a score of 330.5 points, edging out Whitman, which finished second at 325 .5. Pacific Lutheran took third at 210, Willamette was fourth at 62 and Pacific was fifth with 22 points.
The Bearcats will swim at the NWC Relays on Saturday, Oct. 30. The relays also will be held at Whitman, with the action starting at 11 a.m. (PDT).
