Friday evening saw the Valparaiso University men’s and women’s swimming teams take on Rose-Hulman in the final home meet of the 2018-2019 season. On the women’s side, freshman Isabel Jenny (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) and junior Paige Wright (Surprise, Ariz./Paradise Honors) took center stage, earning two first-place finishes apiece to lead Valpo to a 125-62 victory, while the men’s team fell 159-102.

How It Happened

• Jenny earned a pair of first place finishes in the 200-back (2:18.68) and the 100-back (1:01.51) to add to a stellar freshman year.
• Wright took home first place in two events as well, touching the wall first in the 200-free (1:59.68) and 100-free (55.47).
• Jenny, junior Emily Baumgartner (Fishers, Ind./Fishers), junior Erica Martins (Hartland, Wis./Lake County Lutheran), and Wright took home first place in the 200-medley relay (1:54.49).
• Elsewhere, Baumgartner finished first in the 100-breaststroke (1:13.08) while freshman Chiara Robinson (Castle Pines, Colo./Rock Canyon) finished in second (1:15.24). Baumgartner also topped the field in the 200-breaststroke (2:36.36) while swimming without scoring.
• Martins and freshman Alexis Orange (Porter, Ind./Chesterton) both finished first in a pair of events as well, with only one counting toward Valpo’s team score. Martins earned first-place points in the 50-free (25.77) and then exhibitioned the 100 fly (1:02.95).
• Meanwhile, Orange earned a first place finish in the 1000-free (11:18.84) and then swam the 500-free (5:34.36) as an exhibition swimmer.
• Junior Danielle Richardson (Valparaiso, Ind./Chesterton) placed first for Valpo in the 200-fly (2:28.57).
• On the men’s side, senior Dylan Kirar (Arvada, Colo./Ralston Valley) led the way for Valpo by registering two first-place finishes in the 1000-free (10:07.84) and the 500-free (4:53.85).
• Freshman Derek Eidson (Ventura, Calif./Ventura), freshman Billy Bennett (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville), sophomore Brett Strongman (Wolverine Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central), and senior Mac Sogandares (Reston, Va./South Lakes) would win the 200-medly relay (1:38.29).
• Eidson would go on to touch the wall first in the 100-back (55.19) as well.
• In the men’s 200-free, Valpo took home a pair of top times with freshman Dominic May (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central) stopping the clock first at 1:46.78 and Sogandares coming in second (1:47.34).
• Finally, Bennett would win the 100-breaststroke with a time of 1:00.36.

Up Next

Valpo returns to action next Saturday, Jan. 26 when it travels to Charleston, Ill. to battle Eastern Illinois. Events are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.