WILKES-BARRE, PA (October 15, 2022) --- The King's College Monarchs men's swimming team opened their 2022-23 campaign on a high note. The team defeated the Marywood University Pacers by a commanding score 115-36 on Saturday afternoon at Scandlon Natatorium. The team won nine out of the 10 events. King's is now 1-0 on the season while Marywood's men drop to 0-1 overall.

The opening event for the men saw junior Anthony Ursini of the Monarchs defeat Marywood sophomore Dylan Hervieux in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 11:21.28. The following event was the 200 free where senior Ryan Bixler came in first with a time of 1:56.94. 

The Monarchs finished one and two in the 50 free. Junior Andrew Pursel led the way at 23.28 and was followed by first year Blaze Graham at 23.55. Another one-two finish for the Monarchs came in the 200 individual medley. Junior Austin Morris finished on top at 2:10.63 with senior Erik Aguero in second at 2:16.29.

Aguero followed this up with a winning finish in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:000.76. Pursel earned his second win on the day in the following event finishing the 100 free at 52.26. Marywood earned their lone top finish on the day from Hervieux with a time of 1:00.94 in the 100-yard back stroke, but Morris came in close behind with a time of 1:01.65 while Ursini timed in at 1:06.87 to round out the race. The team immediately got back to winning as Aguero took his second win of the day in the 500 free with a time of 5:35.51.

Morris capped off the individual men's competition with a top finish in the 100-yard breast stroke at 1:06.99.  The Monarchs closed out the day with a team finish of 1:38.88 in the 200-yard freestyle relay with Bixler, Ursini, Slish and Graham.

The men's swimming team will be on the road for the first time this season next Saturday. They will travel to Radnor, PA to take on Cabrini University at 1 p.m.