McKendree University vs. SIUC Meet Results

MEET STATS

• McKendree vs. SIUC (men's dual meet and women's exhibition)
• Neutral Site (Chuck Fruit Aquatic Center in Edwardsville, Ill.)
• Wednesday, October 27, 2016
• Results: Men's SIUC W (125), McKendree (54); Women's (Exhibition)

RECAP 

Both men and women's teams were unsuccessful in overcoming SIUC in Wednesday night's dual meet. SIUC competes at the NCAA Division I level, while McKendree competes at the NCAA Division II level. The women's team competed the meet as an exhibition and dominated the three events they swam in out of seven total, though no points were actually scored. The men's team was able to touch the wall in first in two out of ten events but finished second in four of those events. The Bearcat's second place finish in the 400 medley relay earned the team the third best time in NCAA Division II so far this season. The Bearcats will compete again at the University of Indianapolis in Indianapolis, IN on November 4 and 5 in an invitational with Lewis University, Bellarmine University, and Indianapolis.

Women

The McKendree women dominated SIUC in the 200 freestyle, 50 freestyle, and 200 backstroke. Freshman Magdalena Knapp (Bolzano, Italy/Gymnasium Walther von der Vogelweide Bozen) secured first in the 200 free and second in the 50 free. Freshman Milica Sostarec (Alexandria, VA/Medical High School) swam into first in the 50 free and second in the 200 free, with the third place swimmer from SIUC trailing by 11 seconds. Freshman Sydney Rey (Columbia, IL/Columbia High School) placed first in the 200 backstroke and was able to do so four seconds before the next SIUC swimmer.

The McKendree women's team currently holds three times in the top 30 in Division II swimming:
#19 Sostarec – 50 Free: Derby City Invitational (24.43)
#20 Knapp – 100 Fly: Saint Louis University Meet (58.74)
#29 Sostarec, Rey, Hinch, Knapp – 200 Free Relay: Saint Louis University Meet (1:42.07)

Men

The McKendree men were able to pull out victories with freshman Daniel Buijs (Amersfoot, Netherlands) in the 200 backstroke and freshman Matija Pucarevic (Belgrade, Serbia/Sixth Belgrade Grammar School) in the 50 free. Several other Bearcats came in with second place finishes. Both the 400 medley relay with Buijs, senior Josh Lamb (Conroe, TX/Arizona State University), Pucarevic, and freshman Luca Simonetti (Sassari, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Gulielmo Marconi Sassari) and the 200 freestyle relay with Stephen Hutchinson (South Elgin, IL/St. Charles North High School), Peyton Shafto (Granite Bay, CA/Granite Bay High School), Jakub Debkowski (Arlington Heights, IL/Rolling Meadows High School), and Cole Morgan (George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands/Cayman International School) finished second to SIUC, with Simonetti facing the same outcome in the 100 free. The 200 breast was a nail bitter and a photo finish as Lamb finished just .01 second after SIUC.

The Bearcats swam an extremely impressive 400 medley relay, touching the wall at a time of (3:26.40). Which is good enough to seat the team with the third best time nationally in NCAA Division II this season. Lamb improved his 200 breaststroke time in this meet, finishing in (2:07.23), Buijs' 200 backstroke swim was equally impressive coming in at (1:54.22). The swims earned them each the 11th best time in NCAA Division II this season in their respective events.

The McKendree men's team currently holds ten times in the top 30 in Division II swimming:
#3 Buijs, Lamb, Pucarevic, Simonetti - 400 Medley Relay: SIUC Dual Meet (3:26.40)
#11 Buijs - 200 Back: SIUC Dual Meet (1:54.22)
#11 Lamb - 200 Breast: SIUC Dual Meet (2:07.23)
#13 Pucarevic – 100 Fly: Derby City Invitational (51.26)
#14 Lamb – 200 Breast: Derby City Invitational (2:08.49)
#18 Pucarevic – 100 Free: Saint Louis University Meet (46.74)
#22 Lamb – 100 Breast: Saint Louis University Meet (58.41)
#24 Simonetti, Morgan, Debkowski, Pucarevic – 400 Free Relay: Derby City Invitational (3:15.44)
#25 Morgan, Lamb, Pucarevic, Simonetti – 200 Medley Relay: Derby City Invitational (1:36.25)
#29 Simonetti – 500 Free: Derby City Invitational (4:46.74)