Whitman Swims Past Bearcats in NWC Action

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Whitman College defeated Willamette University in Northwest Conference men's and women's swimming action on Saturday, Jan. 16 at the WU Natatorium. The Missionaries were victorious in the women's competition, 146-50, while the Whitman men's team won, 60-20.

Both of Whitman's teams are 5-0 in the NWC for the first time in school history and are 6-0 overall. Willamette's women dropped to 1-3 overall, 1-3 in the NWC. The WU men's team fell to 0-4 overall, 0-4 in the NWC.

The closest race of the day was the women's 100-yard freestyle, which was decided by 1/100th of a second. Libby Arnosti of Whitman won the race in 57.78 seconds. Willamette's Lauren Ballinger (Fr., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) almost caught Arnosti on the final leg, but finished 0.01 out of the lead with a time of 57.79 seconds. Helen Jenne of Whitman earned a solid third place time of 58.20 seconds.

Much like the 100 free, the women's 200-yard freestyle featured a close finish between Arnosti and Ballinger. Arnosti won the race in 2:07.24, just 0.27 in front of Ballinger, who took second in 2:07.51 Jenna Larrow (Sr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) of Willamette was third at 2:13.46.

Whitman won the women's 200-yard medley relay by just under two seconds to start the meet. Whitman's time was 2:00.39. Willamette took second place with a time of 2:02.28.

Swimming on the medley relay for the Bearcat women were Gwen Schulze (Sr., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS/Austin College), Janelle Higashida (So., Kaneohe, HI/Hawaii Baptist Academy), Kara Koetje (Arlington, WA/Stanwood HS) and Ballinger.

Whitman won the 50-yard freestyle races. Jenne took first place in the women's 50 with a time of 26.42 seconds. Mitchell Lee placed first in the men's 50 in 22.99 seconds.

Charlotte Graham of Whitman won the women's 100-yard butterfly in 1:01.70, but the Bearcats followed in second, third and fourth. Schulze was second after clocking in at 1:03.44. Koetje placed third in 1:07.89 and Kayla Kosaki (Fr., Hilo, HI/Waiakea HS) was fourth at 1:08.54.

Willamette also placed second, third and fourth in the women's 400-yard individual medley. Koetje took second in 5:20.89, Hanna Connett (Jr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) was third in 5:21.96 and Kosaki was fourth in 5:26.28. Natalie Reilly won the race for the Missionaries, as she was timed at 5:09.70.

The Bearcats will swim at the WU Natatorium again next weekend, when they host NWC rival Linfield College on Saturday, Jan. 23. Action is slated to get underway at 1 p.m. (PST).