The Saint Louis University swimming and diving teams continued their prowess in the pool last Saturday, as they once again swept a four-team meet.
The Billikens’ dominating performance was aided by performances that made their marks in the SLU record books.
Elena Ramirez picked up a win in the 100-yard breaststroke, where her time of 1:05.47 was good for fifth-best in SLU history.
Ramirez added a win in the 200 freestyle and a relay win in the 200 medley.
Her time of 1:58.42 was good for the victory in the free, when she combined with Lindsey Tamkun, Jillian Smith and Jenny Lutzen to finish in 1:52.89.
Tamkun also won the 100 backstroke, clocking a time of 58.79.
Her quick finish was good for a personal best and earned Tamkun a mention in the Billiken all-time books, with the third-best time in SLU history.
The Billiken women continued to rake in the victories with help from all hands. Sarah Porter swam to her first career win, clocking 1:01.16.
Emily Oberjohn tacked on more points for the women’s squad, with her 55.32 finish in the 100 free.
Oberjohn split the win with Liz Wong of the Illinois Institute of Technology team.
Emily Triggs added the final SLU victory of the day in the 500 free. Triggs turned in a time of 5:16.02.
SLU continued to shine in the relay events, where the Bills won each of the three relays.
In addition to the 200-medley victory, SLU took home the 200 free relay and the 400 free relay. Triggs and Lutzen teamed with Briana Motley and Emily Stuifbergen to earn the 200-yard victory in 1:42.17.
The team of Oberjohn, Porter, Jillian Smith and Erica Polachek swam away with the 400-yard win in 3:46.78.
Divers Anna Larson and Erin Lasinski combined to dominate their diving competition, just as the swimmers had done all day.
Larson squeezed by Lasinski in the one-meter dive, outscoring her 238.05 to 230.30.
Lasinski’s second-place cushion was a little larger, however, as Julia Northrop of IIT recorded a score of 201.45.
Lasinksi turned the tables in the three-meter dive, as she took home the win, and Larson found herself in second.
Lasinksi’s victory was convincing, notching a score of 272.95, while Larson’s position was assured with a score of 260.40.
Northrop again took third, this time with a score of 209.90.
On the men’s side, Kristopher Priemer earned the Bills a point in both the one- and three-meter dives by placing fifth in each competition.
Not to be outdone by the women’s squad, Kevin Parker earned his spot in the Billiken record books with a time of 52.19 seconds in the 100 backstroke.
Parker established the school record at the Atlantic 10 Championships in 2006.
His time was good enough for the event victory as he held off fellow Billiken Justin Breithaupt.
Adam Trafton also turned in a performance that buoyed the Bills, as he won two events. Trafton claimed the 100 and 200 freestyle races, turning in times of 48.56 seconds and 1:46.81, respectively.
Brad Byars tacked on even more points to SLU’s team score by taking the 50 freestyle in 21.50
Steve Sash was close on Byars’ heels, coming in third with a time of 22.60 seconds.
Scott Dewlen also did his part to assure victory by taking first in the 1,000-yard freestyle, as he came in just ahead of Breithaupt.
The relay events also proved to be a boon to the men’s team, as the relays won both the 400 free relay and the 200 medley.
Led by Parker and Byars, with help from Josh Stephens and Tim Adams, the Bills clocked a time of 1:37.09 in the medley. Parker, Trafton and Breithaupt teamed with Chad Niemeier to earn a victory in the 400 free by clocking a time of 3:17.29.
Next on tap for SLU is a trip to Eastern Illinois in the Bills’ final dual meet of the season. The Bills will then head to Buffalo for the A-10 Championships.
