Men's Swimming & Diving wins 14-of-16 events in 207-90 victory at Wittenberg

By Tim Glon

ADA — The Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving team won 14-of-16 events in a 207-90 victory at Wittenberg Friday night at the HPER Center Natatorium.

The Polar Bears improve to 3-0 overall, while the Tigers fall to 4-3.

Sophomore Nolan Huey (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge) and senior Ian Simpson (Strongsville) led Ohio Northern with four victories each the evening.

Huey won the 200 free in 1:50.85, the 500 free in 4:54.78 and the 200 I.M. in 2:02.03.

Simpson swept the backstroke events, winning the 100 back in :55.41 and the 200 back in 2:05.32.

Huey and Simpson combined with senior Conor Cassara (Westhampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) and junior Pete He (Mason) to win the 200 medley relay in 1:40.27.

Simpson, junior Thomas Golba (Dayton/Alter), junior Justin Chapman (Springboro) and he won the 200 free relay in 1:28.49.

Chapman also won the 50 free in :22.62 and the 100 free in :50.36, He also won the 200 fly in 2:03.15 and Gobla also won the 200 breast in 2:20.85.

"We came away with both the men's and women's teams winning but it wasn't our best performance of the season," ONU head coach Peggy Ewald said. "We mixed up a few of the events giving some of the athletes a chance to swim off events which ultimately helps keep them fresh. However, it proved closer on the women's side and a bit riskier than anticipated.

"We had such an outstanding weekend last week against JCU and just didn't bring the same energy into this meet. It's always a a rough time of year just before a holiday and everyone's mind is a bit scattered thinking about going home. We need to stay in the moment, in the here and now and just learn to race and stay out of our heads. As with all meets, it's the test to the lessons of the weekly grind of practice that unfold in competition. We have more work to lay down over the next two weeks as we prepare for The Wooster Invite."

Junior Braden Kuhn (Tiffin/Columbian) swept the diving events, winning the 1-meter with 253.20 points and the 3-meter with 256.35 points and freshman Ryan Mow (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) on the 1000 free in 10:15.71. 

The Polar Bears will return to action Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at the Wooster Invitational.