One year removed from a 29-point loss to Dartmouth College, the Boston University men’s swimming and diving team exacted sweet revenge against the Big Green on Saturday in Hanover, N.H., posting a 189.5-110.5 victory.
The women (5-2) were not so successful, falling short in a 154-146 loss.
The men began the day by claiming the 200-yard medley relay, as graduate student Eric Carlson, sophomores Kyle Berg and Jeff Wurm and freshman Matt Rickett finished in 1:35.88.
Sophomore Arik Seiler picked up three more wins for the Terriers, starting with the 200-yard freestyle (1:43.39), followed by Berg in third. Seiler also won the 100-yard freestyle (47.59) and the 100-yard butterfly (53.03).
“Arik continues to be probably our most valuable swimmer,” said BU coach Bill Smyth. “Time and time again I’ve challenged him personally to dominate every single swim he was in the entire weekend. He took that very seriously and came through in a big way.”
Wurm won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 52.90, followed closely by freshman Bryon Kallert, who earned valuable second-place points. Carlson won the 100-yard breaststroke in 59.99.
The BU divers also swept the 3-meter dive, with junior Andre Watson scoring 316.13 to take first place. Freshman Tanner Knorr took a close second (286.82) to give the Terriers some breathing room for the last few races.
Watson also won the 1-meter dive with a score of 319.08. The Terrier men secured first place in 14 of 16 events.
The women fought valiantly to remain within striking distance. BU began with a second-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay backed by the team of sophomore Emily Munday and freshmen Sarah Doersam, Kirsten Tullis and Maria McIntyre (151.09). The Terriers finished second behind the Big Green.
Doersam continued to impress, claiming the 200-yard butterfly (2:08.28) and 200-yard backstroke (2:10.29). Ruggiero bounced back, taking first place in the 1,000-yard freestyle (10:36.59) and second in the 500-yard freestyle (5:13.47).
Junior Eve Kinsella asserted herself in dominant fashion, winning three individual races. She won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.36 and the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 54.00. Kinsella’s victory (2:10.72) in the 200-yard IM was followed by freshman Clara Van Allen and junior Christina Ruggiero, who finished third and fourth, respectively.
“Eve has always been one of our strongest swimmers for the three years she has been here,” Smyth said. “It’s no surprise to see the things that she has been doing.”
Junior Tess Waresmith swiped a win in the 1-meter diving event, earning a score of 269.85 and nine points for the Terriers. Waresmith also won the 3-meter diving event (304.88), with junior Alex Crerar finishing second.
Smyth said the success of both teams depends largely on their execution in practice.
“We have every practice from now to the very end of the season meticulously planned out,” Smyth said. “We are just going to keep following the plan that we have laid out.”
The men followed up Saturday’s effort with a win over the College of the Holy Cross Tuesday night in Worcester, running BU’s record to 7-1.
“It was a good test for our men,” Smyth said of Tuesday’s victory. “We had a three hour warm-up before the meet. They went in and swam very fast while they were very tired. I was very pleased with their performances overall.”