The Army Black Knights traveled to Lehigh on Friday to take on the Mountain Hawks at Jacobs Pool. Army’s women won a close battle with their Patriot League foes, 122-109, while the men beat Lehigh 141-98.
Women’s Meet
Army and Lehigh were evenly matched in swimming, but with a scratch in the Mountain Hawks’ diving lineup, the Black Knights won 26 uncontested points on the boards; that was enough to give them the victory.
The Lehigh women won six events, beginning with the 400 medley relay. Alissa Leung (59.18) Melissa Feeney (1:09.27), Kelly Carroll (57.94) and Kaitlyn Ruffing (50.94) went 3:57.33 to just out-touch Army’s Kelly Hamilton, Collin Kessinger, Molly Mucciarone, Keeli McNeary (3:57.75). Julianne Koch won the first individual event for the Mountain Hawks, out-touching teammate Meghan Thompson, 1:53.03 to 1:54.13 in the 200 free.
Lehigh’s Ruffing won the 50 free with 23.86, nearly 7/10 in front of Army’s Mucciarone. Ruffing then led a 1-2-3 sweep of the 100 free, touching in a new Jacobs Pool record time of 51.99. Only .08 behind her was Julianne Koch with 52.07; her sister Carolyn Koch finished third in 53.02.
Sydney Bornstein led a 1-2 Lehigh finish in the 200 fly with 2:07.68; teammate Mary Samuels was second in 2:08.90.
The final Lehigh victory came when the 800 free relay of J Koch (1:54.10), Thompson (1:54.05), Kelly Carroll (1:54.48), and C Koch (1:54.87) broke the Jacobs Pool record with 7:37.50.
The Black Knights won both diving events and five swimming events. Sabrina Mortell claimed the 1000 free (10:26.50) but came up .04 short of the distance double, losing to teammate Danielle Nuszkowski, 5:08.10 to 5:08.14 in the 500.
Jessica Burkett of Army went 4:29.90 to win the 400 IM in front of Lehigh’s Courtney Patterson (4:35.00). She then won the 200 breast by 1/100 over teammate Kessinger, 2:25.84 to 2:25.85.
Army also scored with Hamilton’s victory in the 200 back; she touched in 2:06.54 ahead of Lehigh’s Leung, who went 2:07.10.
Final Scores
United States Military Academy 122 – 109 Lehigh University
Men’s Meet
The hosting Mountain Hawks came away winning six events against the Black Knights, but it wasn’t enough to change the direction of the meet.
Jacob Moyar doubled with wins in the 400 IM (4:01.53) and 200 fly (1:52.44). The Black Knights’ Will Viana touched second in the 400 IM; runner-up in the fly was Zach Blankenbeker of Army.
Jamal Willis also claimed two victories; he swept the 50 and 100 freestyles, breaking his own pool record in the 50 with 20.60, and going 46.69 for the 100 title. Army’s Christopher Szekely placed second in the 50 (21.69). In the 100, Lehigh’s Justin White took second in 47.02, a mere .23 ahead of Tyler Sowell of Army.
White grabbed a win in the 200 free, going 1:42.53 in front of three Black Knights. The fastest among them was runner-up Devin McCall with 1:43.46.
The Black Knights began the meet with a 1-2 sweep in the 400 medley relay. The winning team of 1) Pierre Archambeau (52.73), Colin Kanzari (57.97), Austin Kong (51.37), and Christopher Szekely (46.51) made it to the wall in 3:28.58.
Army had some double events winners, too: Joshua Urnezis won both diving events.
Casey Woudenberg led a trio of Black Knights to the finish in the 1000; he touched in a winning 9:43.73. He then went on to earn a second place in the 500 free behind teammate Evin Rude, 4:40.88 to 4:43.29.
Alex Dempsey racked up points for Army with a victory in the 200 back (1:52.92), while Samuel Mo won the 200 breast for the Black Knights in 2:10.21.
Army’s 800 free relays swam exhibition. The “B” team eclipsed the “A” team, 6:56.39 to 6:57.05.
Final Scores
United States Military Academy 141 – 98 Lehigh University
