The Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team fell 186-114 to St. Cloud State University in the home opener on Saturday afternoon in the Lund Center Natatorium. The Gusties tallied 17 top three finishes and six event wins at the meet.
Individually, Whitaker Davis was the top Gustavus performer of the meet, contributing two wins and one second place finish. Davis took first in both the 1000 and 500 freestyle with times of 9:51.66 and 4:51.46, respectively. His second place finish came in the 200 IM (2:04.18).
Paul Kirihara added a pair of wins of his own. He excelled in the backstroke sprints with victories in the 50 (25.23) and 100 backstroke (54.88).
Billy Schultze recorded solid points with a win in the 200 IM (2:03.83), a second place finish in the 50 breaststroke (28.62) and a third place finish in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.25). Sam DeFranco added Gustavus’s other win by taking the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.31.
Matt Van Fossen added a pair of runner-up finishes in the 50 (24.64) and 100 butterfly (54.21). Third place finishers included John Rice and Zach Nachtseim. Rice in the 1000 freestyle (10:28.21) and Nachtseim in the 50 freestyle (22.40).
Sam Hanson was the top Gustavus diver of the meet. He placed third in both the one and three-meter dives with scores of 238.65 and 223.50, respectively.
The 200 medley relay team of Kirihara, Schultze, Van Fossen, and DeFranco placed second with a time of 1:38.63, while Gunnar Teigen, Ben Stewart, Davis, and DeFranco teamed up to take third in the 400 free relay (3:21.75).
The Gustavus men’s swimming and diving team will be back in the pool on Friday, Nov. 12, at the St. Catherine Invite at 6:00 p.m. in St. Paul.