March 2, 2006
EAST MEADOW, N.Y. - The bad news is that Columbia is fourth after the first day of action at the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League Championships, one spot lower than the team finished in each of the last two years.
The good news is that, with 253 points, Columbia trails third-place Cornell by just 39 with many of the Lions' best events yet to come.
Six events were contested today - the fewest of any of the three days of competition at the Nassau County Aquatic Center - and four Lions placed in the top seven of an event, plus a relay finished third.
Luke Fitzpatrick had one of the top individual performances of any Columbia competitor. The junior swam 1:51.17 for the 200-yard individual medley for fifth place. His time was another 0.42 seconds faster his preliminary time from this morning, which was five seconds better than his seed time entering the meet.
Also scoring in the 200 i.m. were first-year John Dragelin, who won the bonus final for 17th overall in 1:53.31, and senior John McGrath, who was 19th in 1:54.59.
Columbia's other fifth-place finish was by junior Tobin White in the 50 free. White was clocked in 20.38, 0.29 seconds quicker than his morning prelim time, and 1/100 of a second better than sixth place. He was the Lions' only point-scorer in the event.
Justin Reardon had a clutch showing in the one-meter diving. The sophomore scored 271.55 in the preliminary round to reach the final, where he posted a score of 265.60 for sixth place. Reardon's better event is traditionally the 3m board, to be contested Friday and Saturday.
Henning Fog was seventh in the 500 free in 4:29.58. First-year Hyun Lee actually swam a faster time - 4:28.44 - but had qualified for the consolation final. He won that heat for ninth place overall. Classmate Kevin Wakefield was 15th overall in 4:36.54. Jake Abbott swam 4:34.95 for 21st.
The Lions, who had opened the session with a disappointing seventh-place finish in the 200 free relay, wrapped up the evening with a promising third in the 400 medley relay. Fitzpatrick, Michael Nelson, Ben Neuwirth and White posted a time of 3:18.13 for third place.
Princeton leads the event with 437 points and Harvard is second with 333.
Action resumes Friday at 11 a.m. Nine events will be contested on day two of three.
