Both teams were coming off opening season losses to Boston University and bounced back in outstanding fashion at home. The Minutemen won 184-116, while the Minutewomen posted even more impressive numbers, winning 183-106. Knowing that both the men and the women had to bounce back from an opening day loss, they proved to be very resilient in the early season and defended themselves at home.
For the Minutemen, junior Joey Sbordon and freshman Derek Hursch continued to dominate in the pool and lead the Minutemen to victory. Sbordon won the 1,000-yard freestyle, the 500-yard freestyle and finished second in the 200-yard freestyle.
Derek Hursch was named Atlantic 10 Swimming and Diving Performer of the Week after the season-opening loss at BU. Hursch continued to pick up steam as a collegiate swimmer, winning the 200-yard freestyle, the 100-yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley. During the season opener, Hursch also won all three meets he swam. Through the first two meets, Hursch has a 6-0 individual record.
When it came to the diving team, the UMass men earned a clean sweep in both the one and three meter dives. In the one meter, Jason Cook, an Amherst native, set a new school record and a pool record with a score of 334.50, followed by John Clark in second and Adam Duffield in third.
In the three meter, Cook also set a pool record with a score of 368.25, followed by Duffield and Clark, respectively. With the juniors and seniors leading the team and the freshman posting impressive wins, UMass looks is well positioned when it takes on Stony Brook this weekend.
For the Minutewomen, the story of the day was freshman Anna Cavanaugh, who picked up her first three collegiate individual victories. Cavanaugh won the 200-yard freestyle, the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle.
The Minutewomen were also anchored by the likes of their senior swimmers, especially Jessica Starosielec. Starosielec won both the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard breaststroke.
For the Minutewomen diving team, it was sophomore Molly Elkins and junior Hannah Swift who controlled the meet. Elkins and Swift came in first and second, respectively in both the one and three-meter dives.
As with the Minutemen, the Minutewomen also relied on veteran leadership and underclassmen stepping up when they needed too. It was a total team effort on their part and even though the individual accolades are impressive, it is more impressive to see what UMass did as a team.
UMass won 24-of-32 events at the meet and now have a 0.75 winning percentage as a team.
Both squads will be back in the pool again on Oct. 30 as they travel to face Stony Brook. Coming off of a fresh win at home, both teams look to capture their first road victory and a winning record.
Nicholas Bellofatto can be reached at [email protected]
