The Panther swimming and diving teams returned to action at Amherst on Saturday with events taking place at Pratt Pool. The women fell by a 167-122 count to 11th-ranked Amherst, while the men were defeated by the 16th-ranked Mammoths 165-102. Middlebury will complete first-semester competition next Saturday when it hosts Springfield in a dual meet beginning at 1:00 p.m.
During the men's competition, three individuals earned a victory for the Panthers. Andrew Buchser won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:02.37, while Jack Dowling claimed the 100-yard butterfly (54.31). Connor McCormick earned the third victory for Middlebury in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.67).
In the final event of the day, the 400-yard freestyle relay of Keegan Pando, Cory Jalbert, Brendan Leech and Will Pannos won with a time of 3:20.53.
Runner-up efforts came from Alec Wilson in the 500 free (5:03.18), Kevin Santoro during the 200-yard backstroke (1:59.80), Pannos in the 100 fly (55.54) and Charles Quinn during the 200 IM (2:03.14). The 400-yard relay of Zack Einhorn, Nick Handali, Henry Mooers and Dowling was second with a mark of 3:22.42.
On the women's side, the Panthers tallied two individual victories during swimming events. Frances VanderMeer claimed the 100-yard butterfly (59.16), while Kristin Karpowicz won the 200-yard individual medley (2:16.93).
During the final event of the afternoon, the 400-yard freestyle relay quartet of VanderMeer, Maya Gomez, Erin Kelly and Stephanie Andrews won with a time of 3:42.84.
Second-place individual efforts came from Andrews in the 50 free (25.24) and Kathryn Bullen during the 200 IM (2:16.93).
The Panthers recorded a pair of second-place showing during relay events. In the day's opening event, the 200-yard medley relay of VanderMeer, Gomez, Kelly Delane and Andrews posted a time of 1:50.49, while the team of Audrey Kelly, Liza MacCowatt, Georgia Houde and Delane was second with a time of 3:58.71 in the 400-yard free relay.
On the diving boards, Elissa DeNunzio won the 3-meter title with 236.03 points, while she was second in the 1-meter event (241.65).
