RED HAWK SWIMMERS TAKE TWO FROM DREW

Montclair, NJ (1/22/08) – The Montclair State men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams each got back on the winning track on Monday as the Red Hawks swept a dual meet from Drew University at the Panzer Pool. The MSU men snapped a two-meet losing streak with a 106-93 victory over the Rangers to even its record at 5-5. Meanwhile, the Red Hawk women are now 4-5 as they topped Drew, 123-107.

MSU swept seven different events in the meet and went 1-2-3 in the 200 freestyle as Kaitlin Muchler (Vineland, NJ / Vineland), Amy Wuko (Wildwood, NJ / Wildwood Catholic) and Creena Sprague (Barnegat, NJ / Southern Regional) finished in that order on the women’s side with time of 2:10.12, 2:12.31 and 2:14.75, respectively. Not to be outdone, the men duplicated the same feat as Ricky Miller ( Seaside Park, NJ / Monsignor Donovan), Derek Henrichsen (West Allenhurst, NJ / Ocean Township) and Matt Hyde ( Clifton, NJ / Clifton) took the top three spots. Miller registered a time of 1:50.88 followed by Henrichsen’s 1:59.82 and Hyde’s 2:02.29.

Miller would swim the anchor leg on the winning 200 medley relay team (1:48.52) as the senior was joined on the quartet by Jon Kurtz (Stockholm, NJ / Vernon), John Adams (Wharton, NJ / Pope John XXIII) and Blaise Lacca (Sewell, NJ / Washington Township). Adams would go on to win two individual events as he took first in the 100 backstroke (59.71) and the 50 freestyle (22.95). Kurtz added an individual win ovf his own as he took top honors in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.42). Lacca won the 100 freestyle as he posted a time of 51.37 to claim that event and Kevin Growney (Rockaway, NJ / Morris Hills) earned a first-place finish in the 200 butterfly as he swam 2:23.53.

On the women’s side, Muchler combined with Liz Nelson ( West Caldwell, NJ / Caldwell), Laura Spadoni ( Nazareth, PA / Nazareth Area) and Laura Flynn ( Andover, NJ / Lenape Valley) to win the 200 medley relay with a time of 2:02.60. Spadoni added an individual win in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.34) while Flynn triumphed in the 200 butterfly 2:32.63. Senior Kristine Bates ( Clark, NJ / Arthur L. Johnson) won both the 50 and 100 freestyles with times of 25.76 and 56.61, respectively and Brittany Cole ( Linden, NJ / Linden) claimed the top spot in the 100 backstroke (1:07.29). Freshman Galina Loutchouk ( Richboro, PA / Council Rock) was the women’s team final winner as she captured the 1000 freestyle with a time of 11:23.84.

Montclair State returns to action on Saturday, January 26 as it travels to Rowan for a 1:00 pm dual meet with the Profs as the Esby Pool.