Junior Madison Kramer prepares for a dive during the Dragons’ Nov. 1 matchup against George Washington University. The Dragons escaped Washington, D.C. with a victory in the match by a score of 154.5-144.5. (Photo Courtesy – DrexelDragons.com)
The Drexel swimming and diving teams are off to a fine start this season as both the men’s and women’s teams head into the Pittsburgh Invitational this weekend, Nov. 22-23.
The men’s team is 5-1 and currently on a torrid five-game winning streak. Things started off on the wrong foot in the beginning of the season with a loss to La Salle University 184-116. After that, the men’s team went on to win five straight games that included a couple of complete demolitions. In the second game, they dominated Loyola University 201-99 and later beat Lafayette College in the same fashion, 223-75.
The last two games were closer but still ended up in wins when the men’s team beat the George Washington University and Binghamton University 162-123 and 188-112 respectively. The last match against Binghamton featured record setters in the 200-yard medley relay, 100-yard backstroke, and 100- and 200-yard butterflies. In what became a theme throughout the game, Ted Taylor and Matthew Klotz finished first and second place in the 500-yard freestyle. Junior David Sanchez took home first place in the one and three meter dives. The match also featured a 1-2 Drexel men’s team finish in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle. The team will head out to Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Invite and then continue its road trip to North Carolina for the AT&T Winter National Championships.
The women’s swim and dive team meanwhile are only one win behind the men’s team with a 4-2 record. For them, they started out 1-2 before going on a three-game winning streak. Like the men’s team, they were also beaten by La Salle in the season opening game 180-119. They evened up their record against Loyola 157.5-141.5 but then narrowly lost to Seton Hall University by seven, 153-146. Things started heating up when they faced Lafayette and beat them 182.5-109.5.
They held off George Washington to secure a win 154.5-144.5 and become .500 on the season. They then beat Binghamton by 25 on Nov. 8, a win that saw new records set in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke and 200-yard backstroke. In their 500-yard freestyle, the women’s team upstaged the men’s by claiming the top three spots when Miranda Rouse, Emily Joyce and Aubrey Murray won the swim. Sophomore Rachel Bernhardt set the record for the 100-yard breaststroke, beating the previous mark by less than two-tenths of a second. Later in the day she would set the record for the 200-yard breaststroke as well. On the diving side, the Dragons team dominated the boards sweeping through all four events. This featured junior Madison Kramer winning both one- and three-meter dives. Like the men’s team, the women’s team heads to Pittsburgh followed up by the AT&T Winter National Championships in North Carolina.
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