A history of fierce competition and close finishes meant the stage couldn’t be bigger this past Saturday as Wesleyan took on Coast Guard in the Cardinals’ last dual meet of the season. The immense pressure and tension surrounding the meet was evident as the men and women looked to continue the success they so often experience against the Bears.
This meet was especially important since a win would show other NESCAC rivals that the Cardinals are a force to be taken seriously at the fast-approaching championships. By the close of business, the women proved that history can repeat itself as they shot past Coast Guard for the thirteenth consecutive year. The men, however, were unable to do the same.
Over the course of the season, Wesleyan has overcome some serious obstacles. Between losing swimmers to injuries, illness, or study-abroad trips, the Cardinals were caught in a perpetually abbreviated roster. The arrival of the new school year has brought an opportunity to break this trend. A productive training trip, complemented by the return of many of the teams’ top swimmers, has presented the Cardinals with a chance to make a run late in the season.
As has become customary, a handful of Wesleyan swimmers distinguished themselves with exceptional performances in Saturday’s meet. Captain Angela Slevin ’15 continued her dominance with a win in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke as well as the 1000-yard free. Her win in the latter of these events by over a minute against four Coast Guard opponents was a testament to her integral role on the team, as both a leader and an incredible swimmer.
Alexa Burzinski ’15 also had an impressive day with wins in the 100 and 200-yard fly. Finally, Captain Rachel Hirsch ’15 and Luisa Chan ’18 finished first in the 200 and 100-meter breaststroke, respectively.
The Cardinals also dominated the diving competition as Carly Feinman ’16 won the one-meter event and Natasha Cucullo ’15 won the three-meter dive. At the end of the meet, the women had secured 12 out of a possible 16 first-place finishes.
For the men, Spencer Tang ’18 rose above the rest in both the 100 and 200-yard backstroke events. He was joined by fellow first-year Aidan Winn ’18, who secured a victory in the 100-yard free.
As the NESCAC championships approach, however, there is one name in particular that should be remembered, and that is Brandon Pearson ’18. This first-year diver dominated both the one-meter and three-meter events on Saturday, prolonging the success he has experienced against almost all of his competition. Pearson has finished first against 11 opponents this year on the one-meter board and 8 opponents on the three-meter board. He also holds the school-record in the three-meter dive event with a score of 296.10, a score he posted against Tufts last month. He has high hopes for success at the conference meet at Middlebury in three weeks, and is also a strong contender for a spot to compete in the NCAA Championships later this year.
Despite a slow start to the season, a great deal of persistence has put the Cardinals in good standing in the NESCAC division. With the dual-meet portion of the season over, NESCACs are just around the corner. The men will travel to Middlebury and compete Feb. 20-22 while the women host the championship at home Feb. 13-15, and the Cards hope to swim at the high caliber they have shown bursts of throughout the season.
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