Still unbeaten: Men’s swimming sweeps La Salle and Delaware

By Shanna O’Mara

The men’s swimming and diving team remains undefeated after it swept La Salle and Delaware on Nov. 7.

Junior Matthan Martir led the team with a win in the 50 free with a time of 21.52 seconds and the 100 free in 46.99. He also placed second in the 100 fly in 51.42.

“I was very happy with my performance in the 50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly,” Martir said. “As a team, we’ve had weeks of constant, intense training, so I could not be more proud of not only my results but the team’s. We’ve really been showing a lot of heart out there.”

Sophomore Zack Molloy won the 200 free in 1:41.55 and the 500 free in 4:32.82.

Also, in the 200 free, junior William Molloy placed second with 1:42.09. He also placed second in the 100 free (47.09). Junior Sam Cramer was second in the 1000 free (9:43.45), and senior Adam Phillips was second in the 100 breast (59.27 seconds).

After this meet, the men’s team has improved its record to 5-0, and much of its success is owed to the younger players this season.

Freshman Griffin Hutton was second in the 200 fly against the Explorers and Blue Hens, finishing the race in 1:55.70. Freshman Carter Paules placed second in the 200 breast in 2:09.60, freshman Vincent Gibbons was second in the 500 free (4:45.42), and freshman Joseph Warker was second on the three-meter dive (274.25 points).

“This meet meant a lot to me and the team,” Martir said. “This tri-meet has always been one of the toughest and most competitive meets on the schedule, so to come out on top of these two extremely talented teams means a lot to us.”

The men’s relay teams continued to impress as the 200 medley relay of Martir, Phillips, Zack Molloy and Gibbons won with a time of 1:34.67.

The 400 free relay also won in 3:08.90 with contributions from William Molloy, Gibbons, junior Ian Flynn and Zack Molloy.

“As a team, we’ve been training very intensely, and it’s showing,” Martir said. “We know we have the talent to compete with highly competitive teams, such as Delaware and La Salle, which as a result, is making us train even harder and more tediously and is shown every time we compete in the pool.”

Although the women lost to both teams on the road, a rookie made her name in the pool.

Freshman Taylor Stalnaker was second in the 100 back (58.85 seconds) and the 200 back (2:07.47).

“[It was an] amazing meet our team had this weekend,” Stalnaker said. “It was an honor to be able to participate in such an exciting meet. My strategy going into the meet was to be positive and to do whatever I could to support the team, have fun and do my best. As far as individual success goes, I owe it all to the girls on my team because if it weren’t for their constant support in and out of the pool, I don’t know if I’d be so successful.”

Both the Rider men and women host Marist at home on Nov. 14.

“Our goal is to always come out on top, especially against a conference rival such as Marist,” Martir said. “We’ve won MAACs the past 4 years, and Marist has always been right there with us. We want to go out there, not hold back and show why we’ve been on top. We all hope to come out and give our best performance yet.”