Harvard men’s swimming and diving team traveled to New York to take on the Columbia Lions in Percy Uris Natatorium on Friday, November 22. There were a lot of very close races but things seemed to go in Harvard’s favor most of the night and they went home with the W. The Crimson are now 3-0 overall (3-0 in Ivy League) while Columbia’s record is 2-2 overall (1-2 Ivies).
Mike Mosca, the High Point Diver of the Meet at 2013 Ivies, started things off nicely for Harvard by winning three-meter diving. He edged out Columbia star diver Micah Rembrandt by 0.75 points, 324.00 to 323.25. Harvard’s George Doran was third with 318.45.
In the 400 medley relay Columbia found itself on the other end of the come-from-behind-to-win scenario. Leading by a half a second after the fly leg, Columbia watched as Chris Satterthwaite anchored Harvard’s quartet with a 44.30 free to take the win with a .04 margin over the Lions, 3:20.41 to 3:20.45. Both teams finished under the pool record of 3:21.90. The Crimson’s relay consisted of Jack Manchester, Eric Ronda, Jacob Luna, and Satterthwaite; Columbia’s featured Ben Xu, Stanley Wong, David Jakl, and Alex Ngan.
Harvard freshman Cliff Goertemiller won the 1000 in 9:20.84. His teammate, junior Mike Gaudiani, scored big points when he held off a 26.1 charge from Columbia freshman Jack Foster in the final 50. Gaudiani was second with 9:26.13; Foster third with 9:26.19.
Columbia freshman Terri Li (1:39.68) gave the home team a victory in the 200 free, beating Harvard junior Zachary Walters (1:39.96) and classmate Spenser Goodman (1:40.18).
Crimson freshman Manchester took the 100 back in 50.41. Columbia sophomore Xu was second with 51.07, just in front of his teammate, junior Michael Fox-Moles (51.18).
Harvard was up by 25 points at the start of the 100 breast when Columbia went on a three-event winning streak. Sophomore Codi Saunders took the 100 breast out fast and was able to hold on just as Harvard freshman Ronda came up from behind. Saunders touched in 57.25; Ronda was second with 57.38 and Columbia junior Wong took third with 58.13.
Columbia juniors Kevin Quinn (1:48.28)and Jakl went 1-3 in the 200 fly. Jakl, who has had a terrific start to his junior season, tried his second-half magic but couldn’t quite catch Harvard sophomore Luna. Luna got second with 1:49.61 while Jakl had to settle for third, .07 behind.
The 50 free proved a valuable point-getter for the Lions: senior Philipp Gaissert got first with 20.90, Ngan, fourth, senior Eric Traub, fifth. Harvard nabbed second and third with junior Griffin Schumacher (21.01) and senior Oliver Lee (21.03).
Harvard’s lead was now down to 6 points and 1-meter diving was up. Mosca again beat Rembrandt, this time by a thirty-point margin, 337.05 to 306.38. Harvard’s Joe Zarrella was third (296.47).
Once the swimming got back underway Harvard never looked back. Satterthwaite (45.02) and Schumacher (45.80) went 1-2 in the 100 free; Columbia’s Li (45.91) was third in front of teammate Gaissert (45.98).
The Crimson’s Manchester set a pool record of 1:47.93 in winning the 200 back. Quinn of Columbia got in for second with 1:49.86, just ahead of Harvard sophomore Christian Yeager (1:50.32).
Harvard crushed the 200 breast with a 1-2-3 finish from Ronda (2:04.29), senior Jason Ting (2:06.24), and junior Matthew Karle (2:08.00).
Harvard increased its advantage to 38 points and kept going with the 500 free. Freshmen Goertemiller (4:33.68) and Aly Abdel Khalik (4:36.03) were first and third; Columbia freshman Nikita Bondarenko was second with 4:35.58.
Jakl won the 100 fly, lowering his own pool record by .09 to 48.41. Luna of Harvard finished second in 49.37, a second ahead of Jakl’s teammate Li.
Columbia sophomore Ronald Chen (4:01.72) took the 400 IM with a comfortable margin. Harvard’s Yeager (4:04.07) and Columbia’s Quinn (4:04.56) battled it out for second and third.
In the 200 free relay, Columbia jumped out in front with the first two legs but Harvard’s Lee and Satterthwaite proved too much: the Crimson (Schumacher, Danny Crigler, Lee, and Satterthwaite) won in 1:21.38. The Lions (Jakl, Gaissert, Wong, and Ngan) took second with 1:21.85. Once again, both relays were under the previous Uris pool record time of 1:21.95.
Final score Harvard 170 – Columbia 130.
Kevin Tyrrell continues to do a great job with the Harvard
Men’s team. Outstanding work.