M. Swimming sweeps at home

There was a healthy crowd on hand at Sheerr Pool on Saturday to watch the Penn men's swimming team sink some Bison. Bucknell fell to Penn 180-112 in the last home meet for the Quakers this season. Penn (7-4, 4-4 EISL) lost no time in securing early victories at the meet, so that by the time the diving events were over, the Quakers had assumed a commanding lead. However, the races themselves were very close, with the winners of many of the events unclear until the swimmers hit their touchpads and the results flashed onto the scoreboard. Freshman Spencer Driscoll gained an impressive lead over the field in the 200-yard individual medley to cruise to an easy victory. Senior Nick Sheremeta won the 200 free; senior Jon Maslow won the 100 free; and freshman Mark Czeterko won the 1000 free. Senior Matt Reilly also ended a successful year with wins in the 100 and 200 back. Penn sophomore diver Matt Cornell broke free from a series of recent losses to win the three-meter diving event and to take second place in the one-meter event. By the end of the meet, it was clear that Penn was the dominant team. The Quakers started racing exhibition to limit their lead over the Bison. The win over Bucknell secured the first undefeated season at home for the Quakers since 1971. Penn's win over Army on January 15, its first over the Cadets in 25 years, was perhaps the linchpin of its success at Sheerr this season. Any way you look at it, this was a novel season for the Red and Blue, with their first win over Army in a quarter century and their first unblemished home campaign in 29 years. Many Quakers cited the retirement of Kathy Lawlor-Gilbert and the ascension of longtime assistant Mike Schnur to the head coaching spot as a reason for Penn's success. "I never went through Lawlor-Gilbert," freshman Allen Lam said. "But from what I've heard, I'm sure coach Schnur was a positive factor [in the team's success this year]." This is also the last home meet in the career of five outgoing seniors who have played a big role in the Quakers' success this season. Reilly has been instrumental in securing victories in backstroke events. Maslow and Sheremeta have been key in winning the sprint freestyles. Craig Nelson and co-captain Amir Rozwadowski have also helped the team bring home crucial points in various clutch moments throughout the year. "They did an excellent job this year -- not only the captains, but all five seniors," Czeterko said. "They really helped the freshmen make the transition into college." The seniors' departure leaves the Quakers with the question of what the future will hold. Schnur is confident that the team will make up for the loss with a strong recruiting class next year, but he acknowledges that it will be tough to replace the experience and leadership that this group of seniors has displayed. "I think the team is going to continue to get better because of the record we pulled this year," Reilly said. "We'll get more recruits next year and just keep building. It hurts somewhat to lose [our class], but I think [the team will] find a way to make up for it." The Bucknell meet was the last time that the Quakers will swim together as an entire team this season. For the upcoming Harvard meet, Penn will mostly send swimmers who are not going to the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming Championships, in an attempt to rest their core squad for a tough meet against Penn's Ivy rivals at Easterns. However, the win over Bucknell has given the entire team the knowledge that they have had a strong season. "It felt great to go out on top," Reilly said. "I felt that closing our season with a win at home was important."