SAINTS SQUEAK PAST TIGERS IN WOMEN'S MEET,

SPENCER CONTINUES RUN

Nov. 12: After coming up just short on Friday evening against the Rochester Yellowjackets, the St. Lawrence University women’s swimming and diving team bounced back with a thrilling 120-113 victory over the RIT Tigers Saturday afternoon in the Augsbury Natatorium. Garrett Spencer, ’09, was a dual-winner for the Saints men’s squad, who suffered defeat against RIT 142-81.

The women’s swimming and diving team has relied on their first year students to share the load this season, and the incoming athletes have responded extremely well. After impressive outings on Friday, first years Nikki DaSilva and Devan Meserve came up big again for the Saints on Saturday.

DaSilva took 2nd place in the 50 Free with a time of 26.26 and then won the 200 Backstroke in 2:17.89. Meserve was a dual winner for the Saints, prevailing in the 200 Butterfly (2:23.04) and 1000 Freestyle (11:42.17). Sophomore Kim Watcke, who broke the St. Lawrence record in the 100 Backstroke last season, had a prominent meet for the Saints as well. She had a second place finish in the 200 Backstroke (2:19.12), and would respond when the Saints needed her most. With the meet on the line, Watcke sealed the victory for the Saints as the 4 th leg of the winning 400 Freestyle Relay team.

The St. Lawrence University men’s swimming and diving team ran into two very strong teams this weekend with the likes of Rochester and RIT. On Saturday, the Tigers would get the better of the Saints, upending the home team 142-81. However, first year Garrett Spencer continued to be relentless, winning two individual events (1000 Free in 10:54.15 and 500 Free in 5:19.42) and anchoring the winning 400 Free Relay team for the Saints (3:43.16).

With the win, the women’s swimming and diving team improves to 3-2 on the year, while the men drop to

2-3 with the loss. The Saints will be in action next Saturday, November 19th, when they visit Lemoyne College at 1:00pm.

SAINTS FALL TO LIBERTY LEAGUE

RIVAL ROCHESTER

Nov. 11: The St. Lawrence men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, swimming in the Augsbury Natatorium in their second home meet of the season, met Liberty League rival the University of Rochester on Friday evening. Although the Saints swam well, the Yellowjackets were too much in the end, winning both the men’s and women’s meets.

The men’s swim team, competing without senior co-captain Tim Akers for the first time, was defeated 152-81. Freshman Garrett Spencer continues to impress in his first season at St. Lawrence, picking up two second place finishes in the 1000 Free (10:52.29) and 500 Free (5:18.77). He was also the 4 th leg of the winning 200 Free Relay team for the Saints, with the team winning the race in 1:40.03. Co-captain Brian Wasserstein continues to lead by example for the Saints, scoring a third place finish in the 200 IM (2:11.51) and helping the Saints capture the 200 Medley Relay race in 1:52.90.

The first years on the Saints’ women’s team also continued to exceed expectations on Friday night, as Ashley Bogosian, Devan Meserve, and Nikki DaSilva again had excellent performances. Bogosian, who has been close to unbeatable thus far this season, had another great showing, scoring an individual victory in the 200 Free (2:04.33) and racing well in both the 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay, helping each of those teams take first place.

Fellow first year Nikki DaSilva was also on both of the Saints’ winning relay teams, and picked up an individual win of her own in impressive fashion in the 100 Backstroke (1:02.62). Devan Meserve had solid showings in the 200 IM and 100 Butterfly, finishing second in each with times of 2:23.52 and 1:05.15 respectively.

Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams fell to 2-2 on the year with the losses. The Saints will be back in the pool again tomorrow at 1:00pm when they face the Tigers from RIT.

INJURY FORCES CO-CAPTAIN

INTO RETIREMENT, WILL BE MISSED

Nov. 7: Although senior co-captain Tim Akers didn’t expect his swimming career to end during the first week of November his final year, the captain of the Saints' swimming and diving team was poised to post a courageous effort in what would become the last meet of his stellar collegiate career. Akers did just that, helping the men’s team to a 133-96 victory over Nazareth College for their second consecutive win of the year.

Although he has always suffered from a chronically injured rotator cuff, Akers has always been a major point contributor for the Saints, scoring at the conference championship in each of the last three seasons. A mainstay in the sprint and middle distance Freestyle events, Akers proved to be a versatile force in the 100 Breastroke and the 100 and 200 Backstroke as well.

Akers sense of pride and dedication to the Saint swimming and diving program is made evident through the respect of his peers. “Tim is guy who you know you can always count on; he has helped me understand what collegiate swimming is all about,” says sophomore Geoff Walano. Senior co-captain Brian Wasserstein praised Akers career by saying: “Tim has been a great leader and friend. It took a lot of courage and perseverance to swim as long as he did; he showed a lot of heart over the last few years.”

Akers has suffered from a bad rotator cuff injury since high school and had surgery on it his freshman year at St. Lawrence. He will remain an undergraduate advisor to the swimming and diving program while finishing the season as the team’s co-captain. Both the men's and women's swimming and diving teams would like to congratulate Tim on a fantastic collegiate career.