By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University defeated Willamette University in men's and women's swimming on Saturday, Nov. 5. The Pirates won the women's competition, 139-66. Whitworth was victorious in the men's standings, 142.5-59.5.
The Pirates are now 1-1 overall and 1-1 in the Northwest Conference in men's and women's swimming. Both of Willamette's teams are 0-2 overall and 0-2 in the NWC.
Individual event winners for the Bearcats were Derek Ludwig (Fr., Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS) in the men's 100-yard butterfly and Niki Kates (Fr., Truckee, CA/Forest Charter School) in the women's 100-yard backstroke.
Ludwig registered a time of 53.85 seconds in the men's 100 butterfly. He won by 0.86 over Byron Rossmiller of Whitworth, who finished second in 54.71 seconds. Mark Yuvienco (Jr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) of Willamette was third at 54.78.
Kates prevailed in the women's 100 backstroke in 1:02.75. She won by just under a second and a half, as Elizabeth Dressel took second place for the Pirates in 1:04.20.
Willamette also won the women's 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:44.16. Swimming for the Bearcats on the 200 free relay were Jamie Johnson (Jr., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS), Cassie Tallman (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), Kristi Miyakawa (Jr., Los Alamitos, CA/Los Alamitos HS) and Rachel Harvill (So., Alamo, CA/Monte Vista HS).
The Bearcats finished a close second in the men's 200-yard freestyle relay. Whitworth won the race in 1:30.44. Willamette was timed at 1:31.34, less than a second behind the Pirates. Swimming for the Bearcats on the relay were Jason Bayang (Sr., Wahiawa, HI/Hoala School), Reuben White (Jr., Portland, OR/Westview HS), Ludwig and Shelby Merrill (Sr., Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake HS).
Willamette swimmers on the men's team who placed second in individual events were Merrill in the 1,650-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle, Yuvienco in the 200-yard freestyle, and Alika Masei (Sr., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) in the 100-yard backstroke. Masei also tied for second place in the100-yard breaststroke.
Members of the Bearcat women's team who took second place in individual events included Rachel Harvill in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle, and Kates in the 100-yard butterfly.
Merrill earned a time of 17:38.45 to take second in the men's 1,650-yard freestyle. Colin Hakeman of Willamette was third in 17:44.60. Keenan Robinson of Whitworth won the 1,650 in 17:08.61.
In the men's 500-yard freestyle Jacob Brook edge out Merrill by just over one second to win the event. Brook touched out at 5:03.15, while Merrill finished second in 5:04.29. Hakeman was third in 5:08.84.
Yuvienco's time in the men's 200-yard freestyle was 1:49.71. Logan Streit of Whitworth won the race in 1:48.49.
The second place time for Masei in the men's 100-yard backstroke was 56.68 seconds. Patrick Wilber won the 100 back for the Pirates with a time of 52.73 seconds.
Blake James took first place for Whitworth in the men's 100-yard breaststroke. Masei of Willamette and Owen Lempert from Whitworth tied for second place at 1:02.24.
Harvill's times in the women's sprints were 26.10 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle and 57.34 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle, as she earned second place in both events. Johnson of Willamette was third in the 100-yard freestyle in 57.44 seconds.
In the 50 freestyle, Hannah Galbraith placed first for the Pirates in 25.79 seconds. Galbraith also claimed victory in the 100 freestyle, as she was timed at 55.98 seconds.
Kates achieved second place for the Bearcats in the women's 100-yard butterfly. Her time was 1:06.22. Alyssa White from Whitworth won the 100 butterfly in 1:05.14.
The Bearcats will be back in action on Friday, Nov. 11, in their home opener against Pacific Lutheran University. Meet time at the WU Natatorium is scheduled for 6 p.m. (PST).
