Jan. 28, 2006
NEW YORK - For the second time in less than one full turn of the globe, a Columbia swimming and diving meet came down to the final event. For the second time, the Lions came out on the short end of the stick as Cornell defeated the Lions, 157-143, ending Columbia's five-meet EISL win streak in dual competition dating back to last season.
In a meet that featured seven lead changes, the Lions would have needed a first-place finish in the 400 free relay to tie the meet, and a first and third to win, after trailing by five after 15 events. However, the Big Red's anchor leg passed the Lions' to ensure the win.
Justin Reardon opened the meet with a victory in the one-meter diving with a score of 313.525. He earned a score of eight three times from the judges.
The Big Red got the swimming events underway with a pool record of 1:30.72 to win the 200 medley relay. Stefano Caprara swam a 23.09 backstroke leg to open the event to lead the Cornell foursome, which broke the previous pool record of 1:32.52 set in 2000.
The Lions answered with a 1-2-3 sweep of the next two events. In the 1000 free, sophomore Henning Fog led from start-to-finish to win in 9:31.77. First-year Cedric Cheung-Lau was next in 9:38.13, followed closely by junior Luke Fitzpatrick in 9:38.94. 31-24Col
Junior Tobin White pulled out a 25.33 for his final 50 yards to pass teammate Hyun Lee and win the 200 free in 1:40.48. Lee, a first-year, was right behind White in 1:40.96, with classmate Kevin Wakefield completing the sweep in 1:42.40. The Lions led 47-27 after four events.
Cornell responded with a top-three sweep of the 100 back to cut the score to 50-43 in Columbia's favor. The Big Red added a victory in the 100 breast but only gained one point as the Lions took second, third and fourth, led by Michael Nelson, Zach Glassman and John McGrath. The Big Red's Mike Smit won the 200 fly to cut the Lion lead to three, 67-64.
The Big Red took its first lead since the opening relay with a first and fourth finish in the 50 free to enter the 3m diving with a 76-74 advantage.
Reardon pulled the Lions back within one with a triumph in the 3m diving, and Columbia opened an eight-point advantage as Lee and White went first and second, respectively, in the 100 free. Both passed a Cornell swimmer in the final 50 yards to finish in times of 46.18 and 46.29.
The Big Red bounced back with a sweep of the top three spots in the 200 back to regain a 106-101 lead.
However, the lead again changed hands in the 200 breast. Glassman, a first-year, won the event in 2:06.10 and Nelson passed a Cornell swimmer in the final length to place second in 2:08.92. Cornell took first in the 500 free, but the Lions took second (Lee), third (Fog) and fourth (Wakefield) and gave up just a point.
Ben Neuwirth finished 0.14 seconds out of first in 50.61 in the 100 fly as the Big Red placed first, third and fourth to re-establish the lead, 134-130.
Cornell (6-2, 4-2 EISL) added a point to its lead going into the final event by placing first in the 200 individual medley. The Lions finished second, third and fourth to trail, 144-139, entering the final event.
Columbia (6-2, 4-1 EISL), which fell in dual competition to Cornell last year but finished ahead of the Big Red at the EISL Championships, returns to action next Saturday, February 4 at Brown at 1 p.m.
