Michigan
Eastern Michigan
Michigan Trounces Eastern Michigan in Season Opener
10/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming & Diving
Site: Ann Arbor, Mich. (Canham Natatorium)
Result: Michigan 168, Eastern Michigan 115
Records: U-M (1-0), EMU (0-1)
Next U-M Meet: Friday, Oct. 31 -- vs. Florida (Canham Natatorium), 6 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan men's swimming and diving team opened its 2003-04 season with a commanding 168-115 victory over Eastern Michigan Friday night (Oct. 24) in the waters of Canham Natatorium. It marks the 36th consecutive year the Wolverines (1-0) have opened their season with a dual meet victory.
Michigan posted the fastest time or top mark in 14 of the 15 events competed, though U-M did not earn points for all the event victories, exhibitioning its competitors in the final three individual events.
Leading the way for the Maize and Blue were event winners captain Dan Ketchum (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore HS), Davis Tarwater (Knoxville, Tenn./Webb School), Christian Vanderkaay (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS), Brendan Neligan (Hempstead, N.Y./Archibishop Molloy HS), Peter Vanderkaay (Rochester, Mich./Adams HS), Chris DeJong (Holland, Mich./Holland HS), Dusty Garwood (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser HS), Mike Porth (Detroit, Mich./Jesuit HS) and the 400-yard freestyle relay team of Tarwater, DeJong, Peter Vanderkaay and Ketchum.
Ketchum got things started when he led a sweep of the first three spots in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 50.58. DeJong and Zayd Ma (Ann Arbor, Mich./Clonlara HS) were second and third, respectively, with times of 50.71 and 51.90.
Tarwater made it two wins in a row for the Maize and Blue as he posted a time of 50.65 to win the 100-yard backstroke.
After missing the entire 2002-03 season due to injury, Christian Vanderkaay debuted with a victory in the 100-yard breaststroke, posting a time of 58.10. His time led the Wolverines to a 1-2-3 finish as Andrew Albright (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) and Jim Kibbe (Plano, Texas/Jesuit College Prep) placed second and third, respectively.
Following Eastern's lone event title of the evening on the one-meter springboard, Neligan earned the top spot in the mile when he clocked in at 15:42.93. Michigan again went 1-2-3 with Jorge Carral (Mexico City, Mexico/Bolles School) and Tim Wera (Villa Hills, Ky./Beechwood HS) fininshed second and third, respectively.
Peter Vanderkaay earned his first victory in the new season when he touched the wall first in the 200-yard freestyle in at 1:38.39. In the ensuing event, Tarwater won his second of the evening with a time of 21.12 in the 50-yard freestyle.
DeJong and Sayao finished 1-2 in the 200-yard individual medley, with DeJong posting a time of 1:52.29 and Sayao clocking in at 1:55.10.
During the break in swimming action, Garwood earned top honors in the Dick Kimball Diving Well with a score of 253.65 on the three-meter springboard.
Michigan also had three swimmers post the fastest time in their respective event but did not claim the nine points for victory because the swam exhibition. Those swimming the fastest times were Chuck Sayao (Mississauga, Ontario/Cawthra Park HS) in the 200-yard backstroke, Andrew Hurd (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalger HS) in the 500-yard freestyle and Kibbe in the 200-yard breaststroke.
The Wolverines return to the pool next Friday (Oct. 31) for a Halloween affair with the Florida Gators at 6 p.m. in Canaham Natatorium.
Players Mentioned
