MONTCLAIR STATE MEN AND WOMEN FALL AT STEVENS

Hoboken, NJ (1/12/08) – Returning to action for the first time in nearly a month, the Montclair State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams dropped a dual meet at Stevens on Saturday afternoon. The Red Hawks men fell to 4-5 on the year with a 126.5-73.5 loss to the Ducks while the women’s team is now 3-5 following a 118-81 defeat.

The Montclair State men were headed up by the performance of freshman Blaise Lacca (Sewell, N.J.). Lacca earned a first-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle with a mark of 23.36 before taking second-place accolades in the 100-yard freestyle with a 52.31 clocking. He also anchored the winning 400 medley relay team that posted a time of 3:48.00. Lacca was joined on the relay by Ricky Miller (Seaside Park, NJ / Monsignor Donovan), John Adams (Wharton , NJ / Pope John XXIII) and Jon Kurtz (Stockholm, NJ / Vernon Township).

Miller would then team with Matt Hyde (Clifton, NJ / Clifton), Matt Cappilla (Barnegat, NJ / Southern Regional) and Derek Henrichsen (West Allenhurst, NJ / Ocean Township) to take first in the 400 freestyle relay (3:30.72).

On the women’s side Montclair State was led by senior Tracey Groel (Succasunna, N.J. / Roxbury) and freshman Galina Loutchouk (Richboro, Pa. / Council Rock). Groel won the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:41.80, while Loutchouk snatched top accolades in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a clocking of 11:14.66.

MSU would also place first in the 400 freestyle relay as the team of Kaitlin Muchler (Vineland, NJ / Vineland), Raquel Erwin (Ridgewood, NJ / Ridgewood), Amy Wuko (Wildwood Crest, NJ / Wildwood Catholic) and Kristine Bates (Clark, NJ / Arthur L. Johnson) registered a time of 4:02.60.

The Red Hawks are now off for the next 10 days and return to the pool on Tuesday, January 22 as they host Drew University in a 5:00 pm meet at the Panzer Pool.