Saturday, November 9, 1996 -- All friendships were put aside for four hours Saturday afternoon as the Loyola Greyhounds and the Niagara Purple Eagles met in what traditionally has been a close meet. The Loyola men were looking to avenge the bitter defeat that they suffered at Niagara last year while the women were planning to continue their conference dominance. Only one of those two plans came to fruition as the Niagara men proved too strong in the end and escaped Baltimore with a 129-114 victory. The Loyola women pulled away late in the meet to win by a score of 141-101.
Despite the day being only a half-success, there were many new team records set and other noteworthy performances. Junior Mark Gallagher led off the 400 meter medley relay in a time of 1 minute, 0.09 seconds, breaking the 100 meter backstroke school record. The relay itself, comprised of Gallagher, and Freshmen Ryan Davis, Ken Sposato, and Vin Massey, finished second yet set another school record with a 4:10.24. A new women's school record was set by Freshman Jen Wood who won the 200 meter backstroke with a time of 2:33.15. Also, Sophomore diver Kathleen Griffin qualified for ECAC's in winning the one meter diving competion with 235.275 points. (Griffin also won the three meter diving competition.)
Senior Amy Cole won the 100 and 200 meter freestyle events. To cap off the Lady Hounds' victory, Cole, along with Freshmen Jen Wood, Alison Bailey, and Christine Gahagan, won 400 meter medley relay. Gahagan took top honors in the 50 meter freestyle. Senior Pam O'Koren won the 400 meter freestyle and Freshman Jenny Redfield captured the 200 meter butterfly.
For the men, Gallagher placed first the 50 meter freestyle and the 200 meter backstroke. Freshman John Moore won the 800 meter freestyle, got out of the water, then swam to victory in the very next event -- the 200 meter freestyle. He later added his third victory, swimming away from the field in the 400 free. Junior Dave Raver came up with key second place finishes to Moore in the 400 and 800. Classmate Jon Lang won the 200 meter individual medley and the 200 meter breastroke.
The women take their victory as assurance that they remain at the head of the field in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. They will have their toughest challenge to this claim when they travel to Marist on January 18. The men will be looking to prove the results of this meet as wrong when they next meet Niagara at MAAC Championships in February.
Click here for men's times and results.
Click here for women's times and results.
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