First-year swimmer Andrew Mattson gave Albion College the flexibility it needed in the lineup to pull the upset of 17th-ranked Kalamazoo College. With Mattson winning the distance freestyle events and the 200-yard individual medley, it freed Brad Melpolder to win the 200-yard freestyle as Albion earned a 157-137 victory over its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association rival in the dual meet.
“Andrew compliments Brad,” Albion Coach Jake Taber said. “In a meet that was going to be close we could split those guys and win extra events.
“This was a big deal for us,” Taber added. “Kalamazoo hasn’t won the last three MIAA championships by accident. I’m proud of our guys for gaining a historic win – I don’t know if Albion has ever defeated Kalamazoo in a dual meet.”
Taber noted Mattson made adjustments to his race strategy in the opening weeks of the season to complete the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:16.97 and the 500-yard event in 4:57.93. His winning time in the IM was 2:02.46.
Albion placed first in 10 of the 16 events. The Britons won the 200 medley and freestyle relay events and Tom Parsons (100-yard backstroke), Brian Fiorillo (50-yard freestyle), Derek Bosko (100-yard freestyle), and Matt Hooper (200-yard breaststroke) were first to the wall in individual events. Fiorillo was the only Briton to swim on both relay teams.
Melpolder swam the final leg on the freestyle relay and he scored a runner-up finishes in the 100- and 500-yard freestyle events.
Albion will take a break from swimming against MIAA rivals Nov. 8 when it travels to Hillsdale College for contests against the Chragers and Tiffin University.
This release was provided to SwimSwam courtesy of Albion College Swimming and Diving.