SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Vassar College men’s swimming and diving team were back in the pool for the second time in four days on Saturday, but the Brewers were up to the challenge in winning the 2017 Skidmore College Sprint Invitational Saturday afternoon. Vassar edged host Skidmore College, 466-433.
The Brewers started fast and continued the pace all day, opening the day’s action with a win in the 200 medley relay. Senior Chris Cerutti started with a 27.79 in the backstroke, followed by junior Jonah Strand and his 27.37 split in the breaststroke. Freshman Harrison Taylor swam a 25.25 in the butterfly, and senior Anthony Walker anchored with a 21.93 in the free to post the 1:42.34 season-best time.
Freshman Jordan Kalina was next to shine for the Brewers, as he swam the longest event of the day in the 500 free, taking the top spot with a 5:03.42 while earning 16 points. Senior Walter Gabriel also picked up 10 points, swimming a 5:39.24 for fifth place.
In the 100 backstroke, Cerutti and Michael Colletta combined for 22 points, as they swam times of 58.64 and 1:01.15, respectively. Senior Patrick Lai picked up some valuable points in the 50 breaststroke, taking second place with a 30.18. Walker was back in the pool for the 100 fly, and helped VC go 1-2-3 in the event.
Walker edged Strand with a 53.16, right on his seed time, while Strand nearly bested his seed time by a minute with a 53.75. Taylor was the third person to touch up for the Brewers, recording a time of 57.78. Freshman Yoav Yaron continued to improve every meet, as he established a new season-best time in the 50 free with a 24.70, taking third place. Not to be outdone, Gabriel came in right behind Yaron with a new season-best time of 25.25.
Junior Luke Morrison had one of the best races of any Brewer on Saturday, as he finished second in the 400 IM with a time of 4:36.79. Morrison came in with a 4:46.63 seed time, but beat that by nearly 10 full seconds. Freshman Matthew Imiolek was tenths of seconds off his season-best with a 4:43.92 as well.
The Brewers would dominate the 50 fly event, chalking up the top five finishers to record over 62 total points, which was the difference of the meet. Walker rolled to a win with a 24.17, followed up by a 25.84 time for Taylor. Morrison was third with a 25.89, Imiolek took fourth in 26.59 and Kalina added a 27.36 for fifth place.
In the 100 free, Colletta took third place after swimming a 53.19, and Cerutti was second in the 50 backstroke with a time of 27.50. The meet continued with another win in the 200 freestyle, as Walker chalked up yet another win, this time taking the event with a time of 1:50.26. Kalina was third overall with a 1:58.25.
The 100 yard IM saw Strand add another victory in a 56.13, which was over a half-second faster than his seed time. Morrison was third for Vassar with a 1:01.48 as well. Strand followed that up moments later with a time of 59.75 in the 100 breaststroke, taking the win, and Lai got under his season-best time thanks to registering a 1:06.39.
In the final swim of the day, Vassar saw its relays go 1-2, as Walker, Gabriel, Cerutti and Yaron chalked up a 1:35.79 in the 200 free relay for the win. Right behind them was Colletta, Kalina, Morrison and Taylor with a 1:37.13.
VC will return to the pool on Wednesday evening, February 1 at 6 p.m., hosting Montclair State University in action from Kresge Pool.
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