Bulldogs Dominate In Season-Opening Meet
October 25, 2008 | Swimming
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb women's swim team won all 14 events while the men came out on top in 11 events, helping each of the squads topple VMI and North Carolina A&T Saturday in the school's season-opening meet.
Leading the way for the women's side were teammates Elizabeth
Ketterer and Rachel Warkentin, who each took home two individual
titles. Corey Hughey also posted two titles, one of which came in a
medley relay. Brianna Bleymaier captured two crowns in the meet,
both of which came in relay events.
Starting off the meet, GWU won the 200 medley relay in a time of
1:56.25. The quartet that did so was Sarah Steadman, Mallory
Baxter, Hughey and Bleymaier.
Next, Kelly Learned took the 1,000 free event in 11:21.33 before
Warkentin won her first of two gold medals for the day, coming in
the 200 free. Warketin won the event in 1:59.55.
Kelly Gueltig powered home a victory in the 100 back, edging Rachel
Glenn for first. Gueltig won in 1:06.88 while Glenn touched the
wall not too far behind, in a time of 1:07.73.
Mallory Baxter won the 100 breast in 1:12.01 while Hughey won her
second title of the day, coming in the 200 fly (2:31.99).
Ketterer's first title of the season came in the 50 free as she won
in 25.27. Two events later, she won the 200 back in 2:17.07.
Sandwiched between her victories was one by Steadman, who took the
100 free crown in 55.77.
Sarah Stokes' time of 2:42.53 in the 200 breast was a gold-medal
effort while Warkentin pounded home another victory in the 500 free
(5:18.10). Hillary Leonard and Carrie Kibler won the 100 fly
(1:02.38) and 200 IM (2:20.20), respectively, setting up the
Bulldogs' chance to win every event as they headed into the 200
free relay.
The foursome of Stokes, Victoria Bryant, Stepheni Stadnik and
Bleymaier didn't disappoint either. The squad's time of 1:48.05 in
the event edged out another GWU team for first place.
On the men's side, the second-year program was almost as dominant as their female counterparts, taking 11 titles in the meet.
Chris Musco, Collin Burchins, Patrick Elerding and Adam Middleton opened up the meet with a victory in the 200 medley, touching the wall in 1:41.58. Adam Suggs, who won the program's first conference title a season ago, continued his winning ways by claiming the 1,000 free event title in a time of 10:39.11. Adam Middleton was second in the race, finishing in 10:49.54.
Musco took home his second title of his rookie campaign by winning the 200 free in a time of 1:53.38. Michael Roka was a close second, touching in 1:55.55.
Samuel Woods also had an impressive debut, winning the 100 breast (1:02.72), 100 free (49.48) and the 500 free (5:01.35). Musco was second in the 500 free with a time of 5:12.62.
Newcomer Derek Gore and Roka went one-two in the 200 fly, finishing in 2:07.50 and 2:11.43, respectively. Burchens posted a winning time of 2:15.34 in the 200 breast.
Returner Travis Gibson claimed the 100 fly in 55.08 while Abram Miller was a close second, touching in 57.84.
The foursome of Steven Caudill, Patrick Williams, Derek Gore and Elerding won the 200 free relay in a solid time of 1:33.15.
The Bulldogs return to action Friday at 5 p.m., when they compete at American.
