Friday, Oct. 19, Elizabethtown College’s swim team competed in the Susquehanna Schweikert Relays against Susquehanna University, King’s College, Lebanon Valley College and Juniata College.
The men’s team finished first in the 3×100-yard butterfly relay. Sophomore Alex Pecher and seniors Tommy Kuhn and Casey Marshall beat the second-place Susquehanna team by almost eight seconds. Pecher, senior Nick Petrella and junior Brian Sylvestri earned a second-place finish for the Jays in the 3×100-yard backstroke relay. This time it was Susquehanna who came out on top just two seconds ahead of Etown.
The men’s team also had three more top three finishes in the 3×100-yard breaststroke relay, 500-yard freestyle relay and 4×100-yard IM relay.
The women’s team brought home four top-three finishes in the 100-yard butterfly relay, 500-yard freestyle relay, 3×500-shot gun relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.
First-years Marin Adams and Robin Hill and junior Sadie Hawkins finished less than one second behind Juniata for their third-place finish in the 100-yard butterfly relay. Hill was back in the 500-yard freestyle relay along with seniors Cheryl Errichetti, Erika Cole and junior Sara Lingo for another third-place finish.
Hill, Lingo and Cole also finished third in the women’s 3×500-yard shot gun relay, again less than one second out of second place, this time behind both Susquehanna teams. The team’s final third-place finish of the evening came from Hill, Errichetti, Cole and sophomore Julia Argentati in the 400-yard freestyle relay. The trio out-touched Susquehanna by one second to break into the top three.
“[The relay meet] is a fun start to our season [and] it is exciting to be back,” Lasko said. “We are a very close-knit team and love being with each other. This last season is bittersweet because we just got a new coach who is working with us so well and making it such an enjoyable season I don’t want it to end.”
The Jays were back home the next morning at the Alumni Pool for their annual Homecoming Weekend alumni meet.
“The alumni meet is always fun because we swim 25s and 50s with people that used to swim here,” Lasko said. “It is always great to see alumni that we use to swim with or have heard about.”
Alumni and current students compete in relays, as well.
“[In the relays] there are either three or four people that do the events,” senior Maddie Lasko explained. “We usually do funky relays too that we don’t usually get to do so that makes it more fun.”
The men’s and women’s teams will be back on the road for their first dual meet of the season against Landmark Conference opponent Goucher College Saturday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m.
