Men's Swimming & Diving drops 194-106 decision to #23 Case Western Reserve in regular season finale
By Tim Glon
ADA — The Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving team wrapped up its regular season with a 194-106 loss to No. 23-ranked Case Western Reserve on Saturday afternoon at McAvoy Natatorium.
The Polar Bears (7-2 overall) swam the Spartans (7-2) at Hillsdale (Mich.) as part of a tri-meet with the women's teams as Hillsdale does not field a men's swimming and diving squad.
Senior Braden Kuhn (Tiffin/Columbian) and sophomore Nolan Huey (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge) each won two events to lead Ohio Northern.
Kuhn won the 3-meter diving with 276.10 points and won the 1-meter diving with 246.00 points.
Huey won the 100 back in :53.70 and the 200 back in 1:57.49. He was also second in the 400 I.M. in 4:20.30.
Junior Anthony Ferrell (Canton/Glen Oak) won the 100 breast in 1:01.62.
Sophomore Pete He (Mason) had second place finishes in the 100 fly (:53.46) and the 200 fly (2:00.90).
Junior Justin Chapman (Springboro) was second in the 50 free in :22.52 and freshman Zach Ayres (Chillicothe) was second in the 100 free in :51.16.
Sophomore Grant Pfeifer (Bucyrus/Colonel Crawford) was third in the 200 free in 1:53.83 and freshman Ryan Mow (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) was third in the 1,000 free in 10:21.87 and junior Thomas Golba (Dayton/Alter) was third in the 200 breast in 2:19.30.
"Last night's meet at Kenyon was a great opportunity to race against the nations best providing a gage of where we are leading into our championship phase," ONU head coach Peggy Ewald said. "Getting to follow that meet with today's meet gave another view of the landscape and what will need to happen over the next 18 days.
"Our men's team continues to stay the course and rise up. Case is such a deep team with great competitors. That type of combination draws out the best competitive atmosphere. We finished our dual season with two days of going up against fast swimmers. It is a great way to set up the next two weeks."
The Polar Bears will take three weeks off to prepare for the 2018 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships Feb. 15-17 at the University of Akron's Ocasek Natatorium.