By Samantha Raphelson
Eagle Staff Writer
In a meet that included multiple close finishes, Leah Breen and Ming Ong led the way for the AU swimming and diving teams at the Navy Invitational Jan. 28 in Annapolis, Md.
Breen posts two individual victories
With a time of 24.28 in the 50-yard freestyle event, Breen outlasted Bucknell University’s Emily Wright. The 100 free saw a similar outcome, as Breen finished with a time of 53.16 to edge Navy’s Laura Gorinski (53.19).
Breen holds the second and third place records, respectively, on AU’s all-time list in those events.
Grace Ibrahim placed third in the 200 breaststroke at 2:34.06. Bucknell’s Gina Gautieri and Navy’s Sam Brennan were the top two finishers in the event.
The women came in second in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:59.03. The Eagles also finished fourth out of six in the 200 freestyle relay
In the 100 backstroke, Ellie Shetter placed 12th, leading the three other Eagles that participated in the event.
Melissa Parker shined in the diving competition with two top three finishes. She placed third in the one-meter event with a score of 221.60 and second in the three-meter competition at 244.10.
Ong’s strong outing leads a lacking men’s team
Ming Ong captured the only win on the men’s side with a win in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:56.25. Ong earned the victory by finishing just ahead of Navy’s Conor Campbell (1:57.70).
AU’s Bobby Ballance finished fifth in that event and took 18th out of 34 participants (1:02.75) in the 100-yard breaststroke.
In the 100-yard backstroke, Matt Wurm captured third place with a time of 52.35. Ong picked up his second top 10 finish of the weekend, placing sixth in the race with a time of 53.81
In the same event Ross Honig, Andrew Jackson, Dylan Hadden and Rob Grell took the 15th through 18th positions.
Wurm also added another top 10 finish on the weekend, coming in tenth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 47.79.
AU will return to Annapolis, Md., for the Patriot League Championships from Feb. 17-19. The women’s team placed fourth in last year’s event, while the men’s team finished sixth.
Colgate University is the defending champion on the women’s side, while Navy will try to pick up its second straight championship in the men’s team competition.
