FEBRUARY 1, 2014

KING'S SWIMMERS POST SWEEP OF ELIZABETHTOWN TO CONCLUDE SUCCESSFUL REGULAR-SEASONS

FULL RESULTS

WILKES-BARRE — The King's College swimming teams continue to display its vast improvement during the tenure of fifth-year coach Matt Easterday as both the women's and men's teams posted victories over Middle Atlantic Conference rival Elizabethtown College Saturday in Scandlon Gymnasium.

The Lady Monarchs posted a dramatic 104-101 victory on the final event of the day, while the Monarch men earned a 97-63 triumph to secure its first victory over the Blue Jays since Easterday took over the program in 2009. King's women wrapped up the regular-season with a fine 8-6 mark while the men enjoyed its best season in years, tallying a 6-7 record.

Patricia Manning won the 200 individual medley at 2:26.32 and the 200-breaststroke with a 2:39.50. Macawley Brown captured the 200-butterfly at 2:23.71 and was second in the 50-freestyle with a 26.32. Brigid Wynn was a winner in the 200-backstroke with a 2:22.35 and placed second in the 200-freestyle at 2:09.63.

Chrissy O'Loughlin was second in the 200-butterfly with a 2:34.74 while Erin McLin was second in the 200-backstroke at 2:23.65.  Caitlin Tracchio was second in the 100-freestyle with a 1:01.01. King's women's 400-medley relay team of McLin, Marybeth Rudy, Patricia Manning, and Brown were winners with a time of 4:23.16.

The women's meet came down to the final race – the 400-freestyle relay – needing to secure the meet with a second or third-place finish. The Lady Monarch team of Wynn, Katie Fitch, Caroline Fitch, and McLin locked up the meet with a second-place (3:59.14) while teammates Gabby Pellicciotti, Shannon Johnson, Tracchio, and O'Loughlin were third at 4:22.32.

It marks the first time in program history the women have put together back-to-back winning seasons after a second straight season finishing above the .500 mark, including last season's 8-5 record. Much of the team's success can be creditied to seniors Manning and McLin, along with men's members Justin Weilert and Joe Westcoat, who have played major roles in the water but also in helping attract swimmers to the program.

On the men's side the Monarchs continued to show they are a team on the rise as a team which went 0-14 in Easterday's first season came within one victory of reaching the .500 plateau.

Michael Sweeney won the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:53.83 and the 500-freestyle at 5:06.66. Josh Shoemaker captured the 50-freestyle with a 23.81 as well as the 100-freestyle at 51.96.

Kyle Newton was victorious in the 200 individual medley at 2:10.20 as well as the 200-butterfly with a 2:16.40. James McLaughlin touched first in the 200-backstroke at 2:11.95 and was second in the 1000-freestyle with a 11:06.67. Andrew Reimann was second in the 50-freestyle with a time of 2:00.39

King's men's 400-medley relay team of McLaughlin, Newton, Sweeney, and Shoemaker were winners with a time of 3:53.50.

King's will now prep for the 2014 Middle Atlantic Conference Championships February 13-16 at the Graham Aquatic Center in York, Pa.