The Saint Louis University swim and dive teams held their first home meet of the season on Saturday, Oct. 19. The Billikens hosted Maryville and Eastern Illinois in the Simon Recreation Center. 

   Garbed in their pink swim caps, the Billikens took the water in style ready for a fierce competition. But the competition fell short, with the Billikens sweeping in the men’s and women’s. The Billiken women edged Maryville 178-36 and Eastern Illinois 179-38, winning 11 of 12 events. The men took nine events, beating Maryville 173-38 and Eastern Illinois 145-69.

   Both teams won in the relays. The men’s 400 medley team, comprised of T.J. Haliburton, Preston Waldusky, Nick Soltys and Keegan Paulson, finished with a time of 3:32.00. The women’s team, made up of Alexis Beine, Bri Hodgkins, Sophie Kishish and Emily Smith, completed their race with a time of 4:00.44. The women’s 200 freestyle team came out with  winning time of 1:39.15, and the men posted a winning time of 1:25.32.

   Some individual success came to four Billikens winning in two events a pop. Claire Koh and Natalie Daniel brought in two for the women, and Collin O’Brien and Janssen Gamilla both won two events for the men. Koh won the 1000 freestyle and 200 breaststroke with times of 10:29.59 and 2:31.57, respectively. Daniel won in both the 100 and 200 freestyle. For the men, O’Brien took first in the 200 freestyle and breaststroke. Gamilla won the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:57.05 and the 200 butterfly in 1:55.08.

   The Billikens are in action next at the Atlantic 10 Dual Meets held in Geneva, Ohio. The Bills will be up against St. Bonaventure, La Salle, Duquesne and George Mason on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3.