Swimming Splits with Cortland on Senior Day

The men’s and women’s swim teams hosted SUNYAC rival Cortland Saturday afternoon and split with the Red Dragons. The New Paltz women (6-3) posted a 120.5-84.5 victory while the men (2-6) dropped a 116-89 decision to the Red Dragons.

Senior Joelle Hopf and sophomore Christine Rieth each posted two individual wins to lead the women’s team. Hopf led 1-2-3 sweep in the 200 IM with a time of 2:18.24. Tiffany Sorrell touched in 2:18.99 and Erica Ellis swam a 2:19.73. Hopf also won the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.57. Rieth touched first in the 50 free (25.37) and the 100 free (54.28), and anchored the winning 200 medley relay (1:53.93). Sophomores Jessica Lester and Marissa Morris each posted a winning time as Lester won the 500 free (5:26.69) and Morris claimed the 200 free (2:00.56). Both women teamed up with Allison Wells and Sorrell for the fastest 200 free relay time of the day in 1:43.59. Overall, the women took first in eight events and placed second in five.

On the men’s side, the Hawks took first in three events and second in nine events. Junior Stephen Cozzolongo led a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 backstroke to highlight the day. Cozzolongo went 54.39, followed by Jesse Sweeney (57.07) and Zack Lowenstein (57.22). Lowenstein and Cozzolongo posted a 1-2 finish in the 200 IM in 2:04.04 and 2:04.56, respectively. First year Pete Nastasi claimed the other individual win for the Hawks as he swam his second fastest 1000 free time of the season (10:15.20). Nastasi finished second in the 500 free (4:59.28) just missing first place of 4:59.12. Rob Webb took second in the 100 breast (1:02.81) being out touched by .17 seconds and Billy Papetti finished second in the 50 free (22.37). The 200 free relay team of Papetti, Pat Rathbun, Matt Demerest and Dave Gardner took second in 1:28.22 as they were out touched by .26 seconds. Individually, Gardner posted two second place finishes in the 200 free (1:48.07) and the 100 free (48.44). The 200 medley relay of Cozzolongo, Webb, Lowenstein and Papetti swam a 1:40.27 to finish second.

The afternoon marked the final dual meet competition for nine Hawk seniors including, Mark Chipman, Stefan Crain, Nick Johnson, Adam Leiner, Chrissy Corrigan, Erica Ellis, Samantha Graham, Joelle Hopf and Nicole Moss.

The Hawks swim teams will return to action when they travel out to Buffalo Feb. 12-14 for the SUNYAC Championships.