Oregon State
Willamette, SWOCC (Dixon)
OSU Sweeps Willamette, SWOCC in Senior Meet
January 17, 2016 | Women's Swimming
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Riding the momentum of senior celebrations before the meet, the Oregon State swimming team seized victory in every event on Saturday afternoon as the Beavers defeated Willamette and Southwestern Oregon CC from the Stevens Natatorium at the Dixon Recreation Center.
Oregon State triumphed on Saturday by dual scores of 138-78 over Willamette and 143-62 over SWOCC. Individual wins through the first 17 events (nine women's events) were all recorded by an Oregon State swimmer, before exhibitions in the final three women's events.
“This was our senior meet and our young women were excited,” Oregon State head coach Larry Liebowitz said. “They swam very well. We swam shorter events than we would normally swim, but I think the excitement of the team was a pleasure to watch. A lot of times today they competed with each other, but even so, they really did a great job.”
Freestyle wins were registered by senior Sammy Harrison (500 – 5:00.28), junior Sophie MacEwan (50 – 24.77) and senior Constance Toulemonde (100 – 53.05). Notably, Harrison's time of 5:00.28 in the 500-yard freestyle was over 37 seconds faster than the second-place finisher, the Beavers' Taylor Frank (5:37.73). The next closest finisher was Willamette's Anna Burdine, who placed third with a time of 5:40.38.
The win on Saturday marked Harrison's 21st overall this season, tied for the 12th-most in a single season in school history. The Henderson, Nev. native set the record with 32 in 2015, and posted 20 overall wins in 2014.
The Beavers got a pair of backstroke wins from senior Amani Amr (50 – 26.77) and freshman Megan Lam (100 – 59.28). Junior Czsarina Isleta won each of the first two breaststroke events, clocking a time of 30.76 in the 50 as well as a time of 1:07.03 in the 100, while Lam notched her second individual win of the meet with a time of 58.59 in the 100-yard butterfly.
Amr, Isleta, junior Andrea Young and Toulemonde also combined to win the 200-yard medley relay to open the meet, finishing in 1:47.25.
Following those events, Oregon State exhibitioned the remainder of the meet. Toulemonde (25.94 in 50-yard butterfly) and Isleta (59.74 in 200-yard IM) touched the wall first in the remaining individual events, while Toulemonde, senior Claire McLaggan, junior Anni Hecker and MacEwan combined to swim the fastest time in the final event, the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:39.20).
“This senior class went through some tough years and these were the leaders that pulled our team together,” Liebowitz said. “They've done a great job and I couldn't be prouder of what they've accomplished.”
Following this week's action, the Oregon State swimming team is set to return to the pool on Friday, Jan. 22, as the Beavers travel to Pullman, Wash. for a dual meet at Washington State. The meet is scheduled for a 5 p.m. PT start.
“Next week should be a very interesting meet,” Liebowitz said. “If we can bring this excitement level to that competition, then it's going to be one heck of a meet.”
Players Mentioned
