Behrend Defeats W&J; Kachurick Sets New Team Record
Freshman diver Lucas Kachurick set a new team record with a national qualifying score of 321.65 in the three-meter diving to help the Penn State Behrend men’s swimming and diving team beat W&J 157-128 in non-conference action on Saturday.
ERIE, Pa. – Freshman diver Lucas Kachurick set a new team record with a national qualifying score of 321.65 in the three-meter diving to help the Penn State Behrend men's swimming and diving team beat W&J 157-128 in non-conference action on Saturday.
The win marks the first time the Lions defeated the Presidents in dual-meet action thanks to double winners in Brian Mong, Brendan Lacey and Clay Altemose. Kachurick reset his old record of 297.0 that he tallied last weekend at Penn State Altoona.
The Lions jumped out an early lead, claiming the first five events. After the 12th event, Behrend held a 130-73 advantage over W&J.
The team of Altemose, Ben Strunk, Steve Torre and Josh Weaver helped put the Lions up 13-4 after the opening 200 medley relay with a time of 1:40.50. Mong followed in the 1000 free with first place (10:22.44) before Lacey led a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 free. Lacey and Weaver were .40 seconds apart, while Dane Dombrosky was third (1:52.47).
Altemose swam a time of 55.66 in the 100 back to collect the win and nine points. Hunter Backenstose placed third in the event in 58.08. Strunk and Sherk then took the top two spots in the 100 breaststroke with a 1:04.26 and 1:05.63, respectively.
Altemose, who also won the 100 butterfly (54.17), took second in the 200 butterfly (2:05.95).
In the 200 breaststroke, the Lions won the first three places led by Torre in 2:22.94. Strunk was second (2:25.89) and Sherk was third (2:28.04).
Mong continued dominating in the long-distance events, winning the 500 free (5:01.37). Lacey came in behind Mong in the 500 free, before recording his second first-place finish in the 100 free (49.71). Weaver clocked in at 49.81 in the 100 free to narrowly miss edging teammate Lacey.
In the diving events, Kachurick won the 1-meter with a score of 274.30 and had his 3-meter score go exhibition despite the qualifying score.
Behrend returns to action on Friday against Pitt-Bradford in the Junker Center Pool. Meet begins at 5 p.m.
