GROVE CITY, Pa. - The Wheeling Jesuit men's swimming team displayed an impressive performance and defeated Grove City, 148-132, over the weekend. The women's team fell to Grove City, 177-84.
"We have practiced through a huge training block, and it started to show in some of the kids today, even though there was without a doubt some fight out there," stated head coach Luis Ambrosio. "We stayed together as a team and stuck together extremely well."
Jakub Skrzypczak, Jakub Swierczynski, Vincent Zellin, and Jandre Strauss started the meet off the same way they have started every other contest this year – with a win. The foursome's time of 1:36.03 topped the next competitors by five seconds.
The senior team captain Strauss, who is from Cape Town, South Africa, was a key part of leading the Cardinal men to four victories. Strauss finished with a time of 22.06 in the 50 freestyle and a season best time of 48.10 in the 100 freestyle, which ranks third best in the ASC conference. He anchored both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay with times of 21.86 and 21.75 respectively.
Zellin turned in a season best time (23.05) on his 50 butterfly leg of the 200 medley relay and also recorded an individual win in the 100 butterfly (52.79).
Skrzypczak won both the 200 freestyle (1:48.06) and the 200 backstroke with a season best time of 1.55.89, which ranks second in the ASC.
Tre Taylor showed tremendous speed and earned his first career win in the 100 breaststroke with a season best time of 1:02.47.
Freshman long distance swimmer Lucas Rhodes showed great improvement in the mile race as he dropped 20 seconds off his time. He recorded two wins and season best times of 17:21.05 in the 1650 freestyle and 4:58.45 in the 500 freestyle.
Vegas, Zellin, Rhodes, and Strauss brought home the win with less than half of a second margin over Grove City in the last race of the day.
Ana Davis led the women's team in the 200 medley relay as she notched a time of 29.77. She also picked up two individual wins, the 100 backstroke (1:02.86) and 100 freestyle (54.83).
Junior Sloane Glover kept the momentum going for the Cardinals. She displayed great form in the pool and recorded three season best times of 2.25.1 in the 200 butterfly, 1:04.35 in the 100 butterfly, and 26.98 in the 200 freestyle relay.
Taylor Susteric recorded season best times of 59.52 in the 100 freestyle, which was good for third place. She added a fourth place finish in the 50 freestyle with a season best time of 27.79, and a second place finish in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 26.10.
Chelsea Jenkins tallied a season best time of 31.82 in the 50 freestyle and Jade Worrels added a time of 1:11.05 in the 100 breaststroke.
The Cardinal teams return to action on Friday-Saturday, November 20-21 when they take part in the Cardinal Invite.
