Campbell University’s Johnson Natatorium was the site of the tri-meet that pitted the Lady Camels against both the Gardner-Webb University and East Carolina University women while the men’s side was limited to Gardner-Webb and East Carolina.
The East Carolina Pirates emerged victorious on both sides with the men defeating the Runnin’ Bulldogs 157 to 103 and the women sweeping Campbell 162 to 94 and Gardner-Webb 175 to 81. When scored separately, Campbell topped Gardner-Webb 154 to 108.
The story of this meet was the Pirates’ ability to sweep six events with 1-2-3 finishes. Combined with those swims and team depth, East Carolina left Buies Creek, NC with comfortable wins for both programs.
Women’s Meet
East Carolina started the meet off with a bang, winning the first six events until the 100 free when Campbell sophomore Michelle Case (52.50) out touched senior Bailie Monahan (52.63). Monahan went on to collect the 100 fly (56.40) in addition to the 200 fly (2:03.58) to assert her butterfly dominance. Campbell’s Caroline Clark and Madison Scott rounded out the top three for the 200 fly.
For those events in between the Pirates’ lead and Case’s 100 free, there were a few noteworthy swims from Campbell and Gardner-Webb swimmers. Case just missed out on another win in the 200 free when East Carolina’s Danish swimmer Anna Maria Svanbergsson (1:54.15) edged her by .03. Whitney Peters was the Runnin’ Bulldogs answer to the Pirates’ 1-2-3 sweeps as the freshman took second in the 100 breast (1:07.10) to prevent a East Carolina top five.
The 500 free proved to be a battle to see who would claim 4th when Lauren Ogelesby, Delaney Fox, Geena Squartino, and Morgan Vanderschaaf all finished within .72 of each other. The Lady Camel’s capped the meet taking 1st and 2nd next to the Runnin’ Bulldogs placing 3rd and 4th in the 200 free relay with the Pirates’ exhibition of the event.
Multiple event winners and notable swims
• Bailie Monahan, ECU: 100 fly, 200 fly, 400 medley relay
• Julie Lajoie, ECU: 400 IM, 200 back,
• Michelle Case, CU: 100 free, 200 free, 200 free relay
• London Schumacher, G-WU: 200 IM, 400 IM
• Taylor Hague, ECU: 100 back, 200 back
• Megan Sellers, ECU: 100 breast, 200 breast, 400 medley relay
Men’s Meet
Not to be out done by their female counterparts, the East Carolina men conquered Gardner-Webb with a slew of podium finishes and 1-2-3 sweeps. Julien Dodu, the senior from Oshawa, Ontario, led the Pirates to their first individual win of the day in the 400 IM (4:08.84). He would go on to win the 500 free (4:43.73) to have matching distance conquests.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs had a solid showing on their journey to the Lady Camel’s training ground. Connor Bos earned his team their first win by taking the 100 back (51.50) from Tristan Taylor (51.72) but Gardner-Webb’s strongest swimmer was Nathan Lile. The senior from Waynesville, N.C won four – count ‘em – four events for his team. He won the back-to-back free sprints in 21.08 and in 47.30 and the 100 fly in 50.86. Lile split a 20.45 as the second leg of the winning 200 free relay (1:24.95).
East Carolina responded to Lile’s sprints with a 1-2-3 sweep in the 200 back leaving Gardner-Webb to decide the remaining four spots. The Pirates also had former Queens University of Charlotte swimmer, Will Hicks, snag both breast events to further their lead.
Before heading back home to Boiling Springs, NC, Garder-Webb managed a sweep of their own in the 200 free relay with the Pirates’ exhibition of the event.
Multiple event winners and notable swims
• Nathan Lile, G-WU: 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, 200 free relay
• Julien Dodu, ECU: 400 IM, 500 free
• Michael Dugan, ECU: 100 free, 200 free, 400 medley relay
• Adam Dear, ECU: 100 fly, 200 fly, 400 medley relay
• Will Hicks, ECU: 100 breast, 200 breast, 400 medley relay
Love you Anna!!