Penn men's and women's swimming teams started their Thanksgiving week on a high note as they cruised to easy victories over the La Salle Explorers last night at Sheerr Pool.
The women's team decisively won, 154-94, while the men enjoyed their first victory of the season as they defeated La Salle, 147-86.
The Quakers dominated both short and long-distance races. The women captured the first three places in the 200 and 1650 free. The men did the same in the latter event, the 50 free and the 400 medley.
Coach Mike Schnur, who heads both Penn squads, was pleased with both teams' performances and was especially impressed with the women's ability to adjust to swimming in unfamiliar events.
"We moved the women around in some alternative events today, and it worked out well," Schnur said. "It's a good meet where they don't have a lot of pressure and they get a chance to do some other things."
The team certainly did those "other things" that Schnur expected, picking up 10 first-place finishes in the meet.
The Quakers swam very well last night, especially freshman Jessica Aiello, who finished first in both the 100 and 200 freestyle events.
Not to be outdone, Aiello's classmate Sarah Jeffers extended her winning streak by finishing first in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:34:70. This was the third consecutive meet in which Jeffers has won the event.
"We're swimming really well," Jeffers said. "Especially for this point in the season."
Other notable performances were those of senior co-captain Kathleen Holthaus, who won the 1650 freestyle, and divers Beth Ambrosetti and Kelly Tek.
While they were not able to out-dive La Salle's Kit Watkins, who won both the one and three-meter events, Ambrosetti and Tek achieved the Quakers' top scores.
The men's team enjoyed the same success as the women, picking up 10 first-place finishes in a big win.
"It was a good overall performance for the guys," Schnur said. "It's nice to get back on the winning track."
Sophomore Pat Maloney was a big winner, grabbing first place in the 100 backstroke and 400 individual medley.
Another highlight of the night's events was the 50 yard freestyle, in which Andrew Trout finished just ahead of teammates Kevin Scott and Eric Hirschhorn, as the Quakers took the first three places.
"Our sprinters are getting consistently fast, and that's important," Schnur noted. "They've got to be consistent every week, and they're doing a good job with it."
At their next meets, both squads will have to prove themselves against Ivy League competition as they take on Columbia.
Schnur believes that the Quakers have set themselves up to swim fast their next time out, and that the swimmers are eager to prove themselves again.
