March 3, 2005
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CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Columbia is third of nine teams with 267 points following the first of three days at the Eastern Intercollegiate Swim League (EISL) Championships at Harvard.
The Lions were led by two fourth-place finishes. Senior co-captain Ben Collins was fourth in the 200-yard individual medley. Also taking fourth was the 400 medley relay team of Luke Fitzpatrick, Mike Nelson, Ben Neuwirth and Tobin White in a time of 3:19.69.
Collins swam a time of 1:49.84 to meet the NCAA `B' (provisional) cut. He led a charge of five Columbia swimmers who scored in the event (24 individuals score per event). The Lions had three competitors in the consolation final. Luke Fitzpatrick (10th overall and second in the heat) swam 1:51.58, Mat Rothway was 13th overall in 1:53.31 and Mike Emory took 15th in 1:53.66. Junior John McGrath won the bonus final to take 17th overall.
The first individual event of the evening was the 500 free, in which White was eighth in a time of 4:34.60. First-year Henning Fog swam 4:36.06 in the consolation final for 15th overall. Jake Abbott took first in the bonus final (17th overall) and senior co-captain Mike Bentley was 20th overall.
Columbia earned just seven points in the 50 free as first-year Evan Lindenschmidt finished 19th (third in the bonus heat) and junior Rusty Corley was 24th.
However, Justin Reardon had a strong showing in the one-meter diving to finish seventh overall. The first-year, who has been stronger on the 3m board most of the season, scored 247.65, while senior Aaron Farber took 19th, followed by first-year Dean Spirito in 20th.
Columbia finished third at the 2004 EISL Championships, marking the Lions' best finish since 1978.
Place School Points 1 Princeton 444 2 Harvard 415 3 Columbia 267 4 Cornell 236 5 Brown 231.50 6 Navy 224 7 Yale 220 8 Penn 183.50 9 Dartmouth 135
