Pacific Lutheran Sweeps Willamette in NWC Swimming

Andy Stetzler

Tara Johnson

Meet Results

TACOMA, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran swept the visiting Willamette Bearcats in a Northwest Conference dual swimming meet on Saturday afternoon at the PLU Pool. The Lute men improved their conference dual record to 4-1 with a 134-66 victory, and the PLU women are now 3-2 in conference duals after notching a 126-76 triumph.

In the men’s competition, the Lutes won eight of the 11 events. Willamette senior Kei Otawa prevented a PLU clean sweep by winning the other three events, the 200 freestyle (1:48.61), the 200 butterfly (2:08.66) and the 200 breaststroke (2:16.95).

For Pacific Lutheran, Andy Stetzler was a double-event winner with victories in the 1000 freestyle (10:18.97) and the 100 freestyle (49.87). Other PLU event winners were Luke Weinbrecht in the 50 freestyle (23.03), Jason Hesla in the 200 individual medley (2:09.47), David Pedack in the 200 backstroke (2:14.99) and Ben Lilley in the 500 freestyle (5:09.60). The Lutes also won the 400 medley relay (3:58.99) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:32.47). Swimming on the medley relay were Pedack, Hesla, Matt Kim and Weinbrecht, while Weinbrecht, Kim, Lilley and Stetzler were on the freestyle relay unit.

On the women’s side, the Lutes won eight of 11 events, with Tara Johnson, Mica Bailey and Jessie Donovan each winning a pair of individual events for PLU. Johnson took the 200 freestyle (2:10.98) and the 500 freestyle (5:52.29), Bailey won the 50 freestyle (25.81) and the 100 freestyle (57.45), and Donovan took the 200 individual medley (2:17.75) and the 200 backstroke (2:15.62).

For Bailey, the 50 freestyle win was her fourth without a defeat against Northwest Conference competition.

Other PLU winners were Jaisa Farleigh in the 1000 freestyle (11:58.51) and the team of Bailey, Johnson, Katie Crawford and Donovan in the 400 freestyle relay (3:59.19).

For Willamette, Shannon Gima took the 200 butterfly (2:28.17) and Becca Fischer won the 200 breaststroke (2:39.38). Gima and Fischer were joined on the winning 400 medley relay team (4:31.99) by Whitney Pryce and Brittany Thiemens.

“I was really pleased with the team effort today,” said PLU head coach Jim Johnson. “I was concerned that there might be a drop off because we swam last night in Portland, got back late, and then had to turn around and swim again this afternoon. The team scores were not as close as I thought they might be because we had a good team performance.”

Pacific Lutheran returns to Northwest Conference dual meet action at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, when Whitworth comes to the PLU Pool. The following day at 1 p.m., the Lutes host Whitman in another NWC counter.

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