Pitt Sweeps Villanova at Home

Pitt vs. Villanova

• January 20th, 2022
• Pittsburgh, PA
• SCY Dual Meet
• Team scores
  • Women: Pitt 176.5 Villanova 121.5
  • Men: Men 229 Villanova 68
• Full results

The University of Pittsburgh welcomed Keystone State foe Villanova to western Pennsylvania on Thursday and emerged victorious in both the men’s and women’s meets. The Panthers were dominant on the men’s side, winning 229 to 68, and won the women’s meet 176.5 to 121.5. 

Men’s Meet Recap

The Panthers were led by junior sprinter Flynn Crisci, who swept the sprint freestyles on Thursday. In his first event, the Williamsburg, Virginia native put up a dominant 6 tenth victory in the 50 free in 20.68. That swim is just three tenths off of his lifetime and season best of 20.35 from November’s Ohio State Invite. He then returned to win the 100 free in 45.61, just 7 tenths off of 44.95 from the Pitt Christmas Meet in December. His 45.61 is his second-fastest 100 free ever, and only his second-ever time under the 46 second barrier. 

Also winning two individual events for Pitt was sophomore Marcin Goraj, who won the 200 free and 200 back. In the 200 free, the Krakow, Poland native led wire to wire to touch first in 1:40.18, 3 seconds off of his season best of 1:37.30 from the Ohio State Invite. He later returned to handily win the 200 back by over four seconds in 1:49.28. Goraj set the Pitt school record in November with a 1:42.92 at Ohio State. 

Pitt breaststroke ace Cooper Van Der Laan won the 100 breast in 54.43, ahead of teammate Jerry Chen’s 55.19. The two traded places in the 200 breast, with Chen taking the win in 2:01.30, touching just ahead of Van Der Laan’s 2:01.72. Van Der Laan currently holds the 8th fastest 100 breast and 12th fastest 200 breast in the NCAA with his 51.42 and 1:53.23 from the Ohio State Invite. Chen’s season bests also came at Ohio State, where he posted 53.07 and 1:55.87. 

Villanova was led by junior Jake McIntyre, who won the 1000 in 9:40.86. The Essex, Vermont native later returned to finish in second in the 500 free, touching in 4:39.84. McIntyre’s season bests sit at 9:12.19 in the 1000 and 4:32.77 in the 500. 

Other individual event winners:

• 100 back: Austin Lane (Pitt): 50.32
• 200 fly: Adam Mahler (Pitt): 1:49.34
• 500 free: Guy Frimis (Pitt): 4:38.97
• 100 fly: Serhii Ahadzhanian (Pitt): 48.73
• 400 IM: Javi Zorzano Jover (Pitt): 4:02.47

Women’s Meet Recap

The Pitt women were led by senior Madison Nalls, who won both of her individual events. The senior from York, Pennsylvania started her day with a wire to wire win in the 200 free, posting a 1:51.83 for a full second victory. She later returned to win the 100 free as well, touching in 51.62, just two tenths ahead of Villanova’s Milly Routledge. Nalls’ season bests sit at 1:49.51 in the 200 free and 50.69 in the 100 free. 

The Panthers were also dominant in the diving events, going 1-2-3 in both the 1 and 3 meter events. In the one meter, sophomore Claire McDaniels took the top spot with a score of 274.50, and was followed by teammates Meredith Gould and Serena Buchwald. In the 3 meter, Buchwald, a senior from Winnipeg, Canada, took the win in 276.38 and was followed by McDaniels and Amy Read. 

Senior Kelly Montesi was the standout for the Wildcats, winning three individual events on the day. In her first event, the Greenwich, Connecticut native won the 100 back in a swift 54.81 to win by over a second. She completed a sweep of the backstroke events in the 200, winning by a second and a half in 1:58.68. Montesi closed out her day leading Villanova to a 1-2 finish in the 400 IM, winning in 4:23.04, ahead of teammate Kaitlin Gravell who finished second in 4:26.68. Montesi’s season bests stand at 54.05 in the 100 back, 1:54.95 in the 200 back and 4:15.08 in the 400 IM. 

Other individual event winners:

• 1000 free: Nicole Welch (Villanova): 10:16.84
• 100 breast: Janelle Schulz (Pitt): 1:06.03
• 200 fly: Daisy Anderson (Pitt): 2:00.27
• 50 free: Milly Routledge (Villanova): 23.87
• 200 breast: Sarah Helen Shepherd (Pitt): 2:20.21
• 500 free: Nicole Welch (Villanova): 5:02.09

Pitt returns to action next weekend when they hosted the Western Pennsylvania Invite, while Villanova will travel to Morgantown, WV on Saturday to take on West Virginia and Iowa State.