Seniors Shine In Sweep Over WPI

Worcester, Mass. – On a night when Cougar Nation came out in full force to honor the members of the Class of 2012, Clark University swimming and diving gave them one final gift – a sweep over crosstown rival WPI on Wednesday evening at the Kneller Center Pool.

The women topped the Engineers 140-102, while the men came out with a 125-102 victory.

Eight of the 13 members of the class of 2012 had either a first or second place finish, highlighting a night of celebration for the entire program.

“With every graduating class I can say I am proud of them as a group, but with the class of 2012, I can honestly say that I am proud of each and every one of them for very specific individual reasons,” said head coach Paul E. Phillips.  “They are intelligent, hilarious, creative, passionate, thoughtful, spirited, inspirational, talented, and fantastic representatives of Clark University.”

For the second meet in a row All-American Eileen Garcia (New York, N.Y.) topped the 300-point barrier on the 3-meter board (307.97). She then turned in a season-best performance on the 1-meter with a score of 302.85 – just ten points off of her own school record.

Seniors Karissa Senterfitt (Mission Viejo, Calif.) and Erin Smith (Carrollton, Texas) teamed up with freshmen Natalie Omary (New York, N.Y.) and Emily Kates (North Hampton, N.H.) to post a win in the 200-yard medley relay (1:59.57).

The men also won their 200-yard medley relay with Alex Kappel (Rye, N.H.), Tim Sistare (Westford, Mass.), Cooper Hart (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) and Clive Green (Portmore, Jamaica) touching the wall at 1:41.84.

Mollie Kleyboecker (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Senterfitt went 1-2 in the 1,000-yard freestyle with Kleyboecker clocking in at 11:00.52 and Senterfitt posting a time of 11:44.76. Kleyboecker also went on to take first-place in the 100-yard backstroke (1:04.22).

Senior Maura Houghton (Stoneham, Mass.) was also a multiple event winner, recording wins in the 50-yard freestyle (25.53) and in the 100-yard freestyle (56.39).

Kates (2:21.06) and Ryan Garr (Kingston, R.I.) (201.01) swept the 200-yard IM events, and then Garr claimed the 100-yard backstroke title in a time of 54.39.Hart, meanwhile, posted a first-place showing in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.34).

The Cougars ended the night sweeping the 400-yard medley relays with Sistare, Lamar Duffy (Pen Argyl, Pa.), Jack Hall (McLean, Va.) and Kappel registering a time of 3:26.21 and the foursome of Houghton, Kleyboecker, Smith and Liz Barker (Augusta, Maine) collecting a win in 3:54.06.

Clark will take part in the Wheaton College Invite over the weekend in preparation for the NEWMAC Championships slated for the weekend of February 17.