Feb. 11, 2007

PLU Men Finish Fifth, Women Sixth at NWC Meet

Day Three Results

(Courtesy Whitman Sports Information Office)

Andy Stetzler

Mica Bailey

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Pacific Lutheran men finished in fifth place and the Lute women ended up in sixth at the Northwest Conference Swimming Championships in the Paul and Louise Harvey Pool on the Whitman College campus.

The University of Puget Sound women and the Whitworth College men successfully defended their respective team titles.

Senior Jason Hesla and sophomore Andy Stetzler finished among the top eight in their third individual event of the meet to highlight the Lutes' efforts on Sunday. Hesla finished fifth in the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:14.89 and Stetzler placed third in the 1650 freestyle in a time of 16:37.44. Other PLU men placing in the top eight on Sunday were freshman Ben Lilley, eighth in the 1650 freestyle in a time of 17:47.92, and freshman Matt Kim, seventh in the 200 butterfly in a time of 2:11.65.

On the women's side, freshmen Jessie Donovan and Mica Bailey added their third top-eight finish on Sunday. Donovan finished fourth in the 200 backstroke in a time of 2:12.75 and Bailey placed third in the 100 freestyle in a time of 54.68. Junior Tara Johnson notched an eighth-place finish in the 1650 freestyle, clocking 19:10.23.

Puget Sound amassed 703 points to finish first for the 11th straight year. The Whitworth women were second with 654 points while host Whitman took third with 407 points, edging both Lewis & Clark College (400) and Linfield College (393). Pacific Lutheran was next with 239 points, followed by Willamette University with 201 and Pacific University with 130.

The Whitworth men overcame a 17-point deficit at the start of the day to win their fifth consecutive championship with 627 points. Linfield, in front after each of the first two days, slipped to second with 609 points. Puget Sound was third with 546 points and Whitman fourth with 377. Rounding out the men’s field were Pacific Lutheran 361, Willamette 263, Lewis & Clark 237, and Pacific 41.

Whitworth's David Dolphay shared the Men’s Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet award with two Linfield athletes, junior Kevin Caple and freshman Dom Rieniets. All three swimmers notched victories in three events during the course of the meet.

Natalie Turner, a first-year swimmer at Whitworth, won three individual events and was named the Women’s Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet.

Whitworth’s Steve Schadt was voted as NWC Women's Coach of the Year and Linfield’s Gary Gutierrez received the NWC Men's Coach of the Year honor.

- NWC -