Skidmore News

Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Sam Brook Sophomore diver Doug Pilawa won both the 3-meter and 1-meter diving events. He was named Liberty League Co-Diver of the Week, receiving the honor for the seventh time this season. [Click to enlarge]

On Jan. 30, in one of the last home meets of the season, Skidmore's men's and women's swimming and diving teams competed against the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Engineers, a very tough team and a formidable opponent.

The men ended up losing with a score of 78-158, and the women ended up with a final tally of 69-166. Despite the loss, however, ther team still enjoyed a number of individual successes during the meet.

On the diving side, sophomore Doug Pilawa had great success, sweeping away the competition with scores of 266.709 for the 3-meter dive and 281.859 for the 1-meter. Pilawa was named Liberty League co-diver of the week for his scores. 

Junior Stephen Lento placed second in both the 200 IM and the 500 Free with times of 2:08.23 and 5:13.74 respectively. First year Jesse Adler swam the 100 Back and earned second-place with a time of 59.55 in what was a very close race.

Senior John Tyler Norton, with a time of 1:06.93 came in second in the 100 Breast, while first year Kyle Bessa-McManus represented Skidmore proudly by finishing in second in the 50 Frees (24.73).

The women's team also swam hard. Senior Sonia Segal-Smith had an impressive day, helping the team greatly with her three second-place finishes in the 100 Free (58.71), 100 Breast (1:16.96) and 1000 Free (11:07.30). 

Her success was reinforced by those of her teammates, such as first year Carrie Koch, who had two third-place finishes, representing the team in the 200 IM with a time of 2:25.87 and the 500 Free, finishing at 5:41.98.

Sophomore Alena Chubet came in second place in the 100 Back (1:07.00), while Elaine Burns came in third in the 200 Free (2:07.35).

The team spent a grueling two weeks over winter break in constant swim training, usually around two hours a day, almost everyday.

One week was spent on a training trip to Florida. Though undoubtedly exhausting, and a time stealer from a well-earned winter break, the trip was essential to keep up with a busy time in the season.

According to senior Ben Forman, "It's really tough but you come out of it in possibly the best shape of your life. It's painful but at the end of the season it's worth it. It also helps instill team spirit and identity."

Forman continued, "From this point on, people are only going to get better. We will be easing off in our training until the final culmination of the season at States. We have good hope for success there."

The women's team competes again on Saturday, Feb. 6 in the Skidmore Women's Invitational, as part of the college's participation in National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

The men will return to action on Feb. 13, when they travel to Poughkeepsie to compete in the men's invitational at Vassar College.

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