NEW YORK — The Columbia men's swimming and diving team sent its nine seniors out the right way, defeating the visiting Dartmouth Big Green, 196-102, in the Lions home finale on Saturday afternoon.
 
The Lions improve to 5-3 in dual matches this season, including a 4-2 mark in Ivy League contests. Dartmouth falls to 1-10, 0-7 Ivy.
 
"Senior Day is always a fun day for the guys," said Columbia head coach Jim Bolster. "Home cooking makes a big difference. We were really struggling yesterday on the road down in Annapolis. We traveled back late at night, they swam this morning, but just being at home makes a difference. It was a nice way for the seniors to finish their careers at home. I was pleased with the overall effort. All the way around it was a fun and successful meet for the team and the seniors in particular.
 
"I think more than anything they've brought a sense of camaraderie and fun to the program," said Bolster of the senior class. "It's very touching to see how much they care for one another and how well they know each other. This group just clicks, and it's very evident in the performance, the concern that they have for one another and the fun they have together."
 
The momentum went the Lions' way early in the meet as first-year Ben Blizard and senior Shinya Kondo provided a 1-2 finish in the meet-opening 3-meter dive. Blizard notched a winning 333.53, while Kondo followed closely with a 327.17 mark. The first-year later claimed the crown in the 1-meter, scoring a 301.21.
 
"NCAA Zone qualifying scores for both Ben and Shinya today," said diving coach Scott Donie. "I'm so proud of Shinya, being the first diver that I've coached all four years here at Columbia. I am so excited to see what is in store for this incredible young man."
 
Columbia stretched its lead as the quartet of seniors Cole Stevens and Nian-Guo Liu, sophomore Jonas Kistorp and junior Albert Gwo put together a winning 1:28.92 in the 200-yard medley relay, leading a 1-2-3 Columbia sweep in the event.
 
The Big Green responded with a pair of individual wins in the 1,000 and 200 freestyle events, but with a time of 49.21 Stevens would lead the Lions in posting the top four times in the 100 backstroke, followed by fellow senior Joe Skimmons (51.08), sophomore Hayden Liu (51.44) and Kistorp (51.48).
 
Another 1-2-3 sweep followed for the Lions in the 100 breaststroke led by first-year Thomas Shepanzyk with a time of 57.69 ahead of senior Erek Cox at 58.02. Shepanzyk went on to also lead the pack in the 100 free, posting a winning 46.26.
 
Junior Gwo continued his dominance in the 50 free, touching in 19.96 in front of senior Kevin Dang. The Lions also used wins from sophomore Joey Licht in the 200 back (1:52.50), Skimmons in the 200 breaststroke (2:08.27), senior Zac Pear in the 100 butterfly (50.37) and Hayden Liu in the 200 IM (1:51.52).
 
Closing out Senior Day, the all-senior squad of Lexo Walker, Pear, Skimmons and Cox combined for victory in the 200 free relay with time of 1:25.47.
 
Also of note, despite swimming both events exhibition, Nian-Guo Liu reset pool records in both the 100 breaststroke (53.10) and 200 breaststroke (1:57.19) to cap off an illustrious career inside Percy Uris Natatorium.
 
Columbia will wrap up its dual meet schedule on the road next Saturday, Feb. 8, at Princeton. The meet is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. inside DeNunzio Pool.
 
For the latest on the Columbia men's swimming and diving program, follow @ColumbiaMenSwim on Twitter, @ColumbiaMenSwimming and @ColumbiaDiving on Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.