Huskies Fall to West Chester in Final Home Swim Meet

BLOOMSBURG—The Bloomsburg University men's and women's swimming teams fell to West Chester on Saturday. The women fell 116.5- 86.5, while the men were defeated by a score of 125-77.

The women, now 6-2 on the year, were led by Ashley Yelinek (Youngwood/Southmoreland) and Erin Carey (West Chester/Henderson) who each finished with a first-place victory. Yelinek was first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:01.57, while Courtney Dean (Lancaster/Hempfield) was third in 2:02.85 in the same event. Carey took first in the women's 200-yard IM with a time of 2:18.48. Kari Pokrzywa (Fairless Hills/Pennsbury) was third in the same event with a time of 2:21.26.

Dianna Smith (West Grove/Avon Grove) recorded two second-place finishes on the day in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle. In the 50-free, Smith took second with a time of 25.64, only three-tenths of a second behind West Chester's Julie Keefer. In the 100-free, Smith finished with a time of 55.15. In the 200-yard breaststroke, the Huskies took second and third place. Sara Lengler (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin East) was second in 2:34.34, while Carey finished third in 2:39.23.

In her final home meet, Becky Kadingo (Orwigsburg/Nativity B.V.M.) took third in two events. In the 1,650-yard freestyle, she was the Huskies' top finisher, taking third in a time of 19:10.11. Kadingo was also third in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:36. Emily Varley (Succasunna/Roxbury) also swam in her final home match for the Huskies, taking sixth in the 50-yard freestyle. In the relays, Varley teamed up with Pokrzywa, Lengler and Kristinia Slabonik (Boyertown/Boyertown) to take second in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 4:17.66.

In the final event of the meet, the team of Jackie Gribbin (Richboro/Council Rock North), Dean, Yelinek and Smith won the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:47.73, edging out the Golden Rams by eight-hundredths of a second.

The men, 2-5 on the season, were led by Chris Rumfelt (Shamokin/Shamokin Area) who won two events. Rumfelt took first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:46.67. In the 500-yard freestyle, he won a tight race with a time of 4:59.93, just over two-tenths in front of the Golden Rams' Patrick Collins.

Travis Backenstoe (Walnutport/Northampton) and Steve Post (Scranton/Scranton) each contributed an individual win as well for the Huskies. Backenstoe was first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.02, while Post won the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:25.54.

Mark Freeman (Bethlehem/Freedom) finished second in the 200-yard backstroke for the Huskies with a time of 2:08.71, while in the 500-yard freestyle, Post recorded a third-place finish in 5:03.30.

Brandon Palmer (Carlisle/Big Spring), in his final home meet, placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:25.27.

In the relays, Bloomsburg won the 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:19.49. Ken Smith (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan), Rumfelt, Post and Backenstoe teamed up to edge out the Golden Rams by a little over half a second to get the win for the Huskies. The team of Mark Kamenetz (Lincoln Park, NJ/Boonton), Travis Wagner (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg), Eric Weathers (Eagleville/Methacton) and Backenstoe took second in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 4:06.28.

The Huskies will travel to Indiana (PA) next Saturday, Feb. 5, to take on the Indians at 1:00 p.m.