Valparaiso’s men’s swim team took to the water on Friday evening for day one of the Coers Invitational hosted by Ball State in Muncie, Ind., and the Crusaders finished the night in third place.

The Crusaders scored 78 points and trail Grand Valley State, the event leader with 215 points, and the host Cardinals, who have 202 points.

David Sivak (Hobart, Ind./Hobart H.S.) led the charge for the Crusaders with his runner-up finish in the 50 freestyle.  He touched the wall in 22.00 seconds, just 0.23 seconds off of the pace.

Valpo opened the night with a third place effort in the 200 freestyle relay.  The team of Trevor Trimpe (New Palastine, Ind./Connersville H.S.), Russell Deghi (Sebestopol, Calif./Analy H.S.), Kevin Fedde (Fort Collins, Colo./Heritage Christian H.S.), and Thomas Patrick (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead H.S.) posted a time of 1:33.35 to get the Crusaders started.

Trimpe then turned in a time of 4:55.25 in the 500 freestyle to earn a sixth place effort for the Brown and Gold, posting his fastest time of the season in the event.  Fedde also had a season best in the 500 free with his mark of 5:02.20 while placing 10th overall.

Tate Wegehaupt (Tigard, Ore./Tigard H.S.) turned in a 2:01.99 performance in the 200 individual medley, a collegiate best for the freshman, posting an eighth place finish.

The Crusaders  wrapped up the night with another third place relay finish, this time in the 400 medley as Sivak, Wegehaupt, Guillermo Aguilar (San Salvador, El Salvador/Colegio Internacional de San Salvador H.S.), and Deghi notched a time of 3:43.82, the best mark in that relay for the Brown and Gold yet this season.

Valparaiso will return to the water for the final day of competition in the Coers Invitational on Saturday.  Morning events will begin at 8 a.m. CDT with afternoon heats starting at 2 p.m. CDT.