By Tim Glon
Freshman Megan Lubinski (Milford/Brighton) won four events to lead the Ohio Northern women's swimming and diving team to a 149-142 victory at Mount Union on Saturday afternoon at Hammond Natatorium.
The Polar Bears improve to 3-2 overall and are now 2-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Purple Raiders fall to 5-2, 1-2.
Lubinski won the 200 free in 2:03.54, the 100 free in :56.67, the 50 free in :25.72, and combined with senior Kierra Watson (Brownsburg, Ind.) and juniors Katey Stuart (Ada) and Kyley Stuart (Ada) to win the 200 medley relay in 1:54.84.
Northern won 10 of the 16 events and clung to a 129-126 lead with just two events to go.
That is when Watson, junior Lauren Halle (Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton), and sophomore Marissa Taylor (Granite Falls, N.C./South Caldwell) finished 1-2-3 in the 200 I.M. to extend the lead to an insurmountable 145-129. Watson won the race in 2:19.42, Halle was second in 2:20.84, and Taylor was third in 2:23.60.
Watson also won the 100 back in 1:02.00 to give her three victories on the day.
Taylor and Halle also posted two victories each. Taylor won the 500 free in 5:33.49 and the 1000 free in 11:18.86 while Halle won the 100 fly in 1:02.28 and the 200 fly in 2:20.19.
The Polar Bears will return to action on Friday when they host Baldwin Wallace in a 7 p.m. meet at the ONU Sports Center Natatorium.
Men's Swimming and Diving Team
By Scott Beaton
The Ohio Northern men's swimming and diving team, led by three individual victories and one relay title from junior Nolan Huey (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge), narrowly defeated Mount Union 155-144 in a conference dual on Saturday afternoon at Hammond Natatorium.
Huey recorded victories in the 100 back (54.32), 200 back (1:58.32), 200 IM (1:58.53), and teamed up with seniors Anthony Ferrell (Canton/Glen Oak) and Justin Chapman (Springboro) and sophomore Zach Ayres (Chillicothe) to win the 200 medley relay in 1:38.18.
Ferrell also placed first in the 100 breast, finishing in 1:02.03.
Sophomore Pat Reed (Charleston, W.Va./Washington) trailed two swimmers by more than two-tenths of a second after 150 yards, but earned a come-from-behind victory in the 200 breast, touching in 2:16.76.
Additionally, senior Pete He (Mason) claimed an individual event victory, winning the 50 free in 22.01. He joined freshman Jeremy Adams (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ann Arbor Pioneer), Ayres, and Chapman to clinch the 200 free relay event title in 1:28.40 to close the meet with an ONU victory.
The Polar Bears (3-2 overall, 2-1 OAC) and the Purple Raiders (5-2 overall, 1-2 OAC) each won eight events in the 16-event meet.
Ohio Northern will return to action on Friday as they host Baldwin Wallace at 7 p.m. in the ONU Sports Center Natatorium.
