MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The Brandeis University swimming and diving teams earned a split at Wesleyan University on Saturday. The Judge men pulled out a 155-135 victory, while the women suffered a 220-70 defeat.
The men's meet came down to the final event, the 200-yard freestyle medley. The Judges' quartet of sophomore Cameron Braz (Monson, Mass. / Monson), rookies Danny Smyda (Acworth, Ga. / North Cobb) and Abu Batjargal (Waltham, Mass / Waltham) and junior Brian Luk (Hong Kong/Northfield Mount Hermon) topped Wesleyan by nearly a second-and-a-half, 1:30.37 to 1:31.85. On the final two legs, Batjargal shaved 0.40 seconds off the deficit, while Luk swam a fantastic anchor of 21.61 seconds, a full two seconds faster than the Cardinals' finisher.
The win was Luk's third of the day in a freestyle sprint. He won the 50 with a time of 22.50 seconds and the 100 in 49.12. Braz (50.57) and Smyda (51.75) were second in third in the event, helping the Judges' cause immensely. The duo also took the top two spots in the 200 free with times of 1:50.24 and 1:53.38, respectively.
Senior Max Fabian (Keene, N.H./Oak Meadow) continued his excellence in the distance events, winning the 1,000 (10:06.67) and the 500 (4:56.39) while placing third in the 200 butterfly (2:02.74).
The Judges had two other events in which they took the top two places. Junior David Lazarovich (Stowe, Vt. / South Burlington) and rookie Adib Milani (Vienna, Va. / Marshall) did it in the 200 breaststroke with times of 2:22.78 and 2:26.58, while rookie Zach Diamond (Staten Island, N.Y. / Staten Island Academy) and sophomore Edan Zitelny (Syosset, N.Y. / Syosset) went 1-2 in the 200 IM in 2:02.70 and 2:05.82.
On the women's side, Brandeis's best performances were second-places in seven events.
Sophomore Joanna Murphy (Sarasota, Fla./Riverview) had three runner-up performances: in the 200 free (2:01.04), in the 500 free (5:28.32) and the 200 butterfly (2:24.17). Freshman Erin Gawronski (Norwich, N.Y./Norwich) was second in the 200 backstroke (2:24.01) and the 200 IM (2:22.36). Rookie Yi-Sul Richter (Colorado Springs, Colo. / Vista Ridge) was runner up in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 11:39.07, while classmate Sherry Tu (Guangdong, China / Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women) was second in the 100 backstroke in 1:05.58.
The Judges return to action on Friday, Nov. 21, when they take on cross-town rivals Bentley University at 5 p.m.
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